asked the Minister for Finance the progress made on the coast protection scheme for Youghal, County Cork; the amount expended to date; and when he hopes the work will be completed.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Youghal Coast Protection.
5.
A scheme to protect the road adjoining the Front Strand, Youghal and the houses on the northern side of the road was prepared by the Commissioners of Public Works. When in July, 1968, details of the scheme were being checked on the site by an engineer it was found that the county council had underpinned portion of the existing sea wall and that the urban district council had acquired some of the houses concerned with a view to demolishing them. As these developments would affect the scheme design, the county council have been asked for information in relation to the future use of the property acquired by the urban district council. When this information is received the scheme will be redesigned.
I am not yet in a position to say when construction work will commence or be completed. There has been no expenditure on construction work to date.
The county council got notification of the adoption of those proposals nearly nine or ten months ago, if not longer. These things do not come to light until we ask a question in the House. It is a bad system.
The crucial point about this scheme is that even now there is no accepted general development plan for the area in question.