 Uist was badly hit in the January storms |
A council has been awarded a multi-million pound financial package following severe winter storms. An initial �5m was awarded to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar after storms in the Western Isles in January.
Five members of one family died in what was described at the time as the "storm of a generation".
The Scottish Executive will reimburse the council for repairs to transport infrastructure including the Eriskay Breakwater and the North Ford Causeway.
Emergency planning
In addition to �4.5m for road and transport damage, a further �410,000 was awarded under the Bellwin Scheme, which gives special grants to councils to reimburse the immediate costs of large-scale emergencies.
Civil contingency funding of �80,000 was also provided for a new mobile command vehicle and mobile communication equipment.
The council identified this as a priority area for its emergency planning because a mobile mast collapsed during the storm, hampering the emergency response.
Finance Minister Tom McCabe said that the initial funding package was to honour a pledge made by the first minister.
He said: "There is no doubt that the storms which hit the Western Isles in January had a devastating effect on the area.
"When the first minister visited South Uist and Benbecula to see the damage first-hand and meet local people, he pledged that we would contribute to the repair bill.
"The funding provided under the Bellwin Scheme will reimburse the Comhairle for the considerable repair costs it incurred in the immediate aftermath of the storm."
The executive also accepted the case for rebuilding Balivanich Primary School on Benbecula.
'True to his word'
The new school will be built on a site further back from the shore.
Discussions are continuing with the council on the likely cost and how the executive will contribute.
Council convener Alex Macdonald said he believed the new school could be funded through a public private partnership scheme.
He added: "The minister said he would make a significant contribution and I certainly hope he'll be true to his word.
"The big projects are really the North Ford Causeway, the protection there for the ferry and the terminal there.
"I think it's very important to get some of that work up and running as soon as possible."
 |  It has to be done, work will start this year and I certainly welcome this money |
The islands' Labour MSP, Alasdair Morrison, said the initial �5m aid package would enable much of the infrastructure work required to be carried out.
"It has to be done, work will start this year and I certainly welcome this money," Mr Morrison added.
"There will be continued dialogue with the Scottish Executive - that's the way we do business here."
However, the islands' Scottish National Party MP, Angus Brendan MacNeil, said the work should have been carried out by now and urged the executive to "take a long hard look at itself".
He said: "It's six months now since the storms and nothing has really happened to repair the damage.
"The breakwater at Eriskay - 70% of it is down. At Eriskay Causeway you would think the damage only occurred the other day and the North Ford Causeway is still in a mess.
"The Scottish Executive has to take a look at itself and see how long this is taking.
"The 'a stitch in time saves nine' principle has not been applied because we could see in the next few months bad storms coming in, undermining this work and adding to the costs."
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