Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 Jun 1978

Vol. 307 No. 4

Ceisteanna—Questions . Oral Answers . - Sand Removal .

13.

asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the proposals he has to curb or eliminate the widespread practice of removing sand from beaches and foreshore around the country.

(Dublin South-Central): My responsibility for the control and prohibition of the removal of sand and gravel and other forms of beach material from the foreshore and seashore is confined to the provisions of the Foreshore Act, 1933. Beach material, such as sand and gravel, and so on may not be removed from State-owned foreshore save under a licence issued by my Department under section 3 of the Act. Before licences are issued it is customary in appropriate cases to consult the Garda, the relevant local authority, Bord Fáilte and the Office of Public Works, who are very much concerned about coast protection because of their responsibility under the Coast Protection Act, 1963. In recent years the general practice in my Department is to prohibit removals by mechanical diggers and to restrict licences to small quantities and to short periods. A statement showing details of licences issued by my Department in 1977 was presented to both Houses of the Oireachtas on 9th May, 1978.

Where unauthorised removals from State-owned foreshore come to my Department's notice the usual practice is to direct the attention of the persons concerned to the provisions of the Foreshore Act and to request them to give an undertaking in writing that they will not remove further material without a licence from my Department. This procedure normally has the desired effect.

Where I am of the opinion that removals of beach material have affected or are likely to affect prejudicially any public rights in respect of any area of seashore or have caused or are likely to cause injury to any land, building, wall, pier or other structure, I am empowered under section 6 of the Foreshore Act to make a prohibitory order prohibiting the removal by any person of beach material from the area of seashore concerned, whether publicly or privately owned.

It is a long established practice in regard to such orders to make them only on the application of the relevant local authority or some other body or individual who will undertake to be responsible for enforcement of the proposed order.

I am also empowered, under section 7 of the Act, to have a prohibitory notice in writing served on any person prohibiting removal of beach material from a specified area of State-owned foreshore whenever I am of opinion that such removal should be restricted or controlled. Contravention of a prohibitory order or a prohibitory notice renders a person liable to prosecution.

Top
Share