asked the Minister for Finance the up-to-date position concerning coastal protection work being carried out in Maharees, Castle-gregory, County Kerry.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Kerry Coastal Protection.
10.
Kerry County Council have indicated to the Commissioners of Public Works that an order prohibiting the removal of beach material is being and will continue to be enforced on the Maharees peninsula. Accordingly, the Commissioners will proceed with the making of the required statutory determination under the Coast Protection Act, 1963, as to whether or not a protection scheme is feasible.
First of all, I would like to say to the Minister of State that the Maharees is first on the list for a coast protection job. It has or had priority at one time. Does the Minister of State realise that if a coast protection job is not done in the Maharees in the near future, there is a possibility that this could be an island? There is a great danger of this. The local newspaper stated last week that the residents are taking action about the situation. Would she give me an assurance that a start will be made as soon as possible on a coast protection job?
I note the Deputy's opening remark with interest. I can give no guarantees or dates in relation to the starting of any capital scheme under the Coast Protection Act, 1963. As I understand it, the situation in relation to the Maharees peninsula is at a very early stage and I am sure the Deputy is aware, as I am, of the rather difficult and very out-dated legislation in relation to coast protection at present. There are 24 stages of preparation and planning and determination which have to be crossed before an actual on-site commencement of works is reached. As such, the Maharees peninsula is at the first or second stage of that. There is certainly a minimum of 18 months to two years work to be done as a personal opinion, before the situation is on-site. That is a minimum pending everything going according to plan and finance being available.
I thought that all the planning had been done for a coast protection job for the Maharees. It has been the subject of many discussions over the past five years and definitely it must be well ahead on the planning stage. I would also like to ask the Minister of State if her Department have made any applications to Brussels for grants for coast protection work?
On the last point, as of now under the Regional Development Fund no specific grants have been made for coast protection schemes over the years. We have taken our full allocation under the Regional Development Fund and it has been well spent on other infrastructural services of one type or another, and various other schemes. I am hoping that in the future coast protection works will be included. I have already mentioned this to the Minister for Finance. They may be included in our list of requirements from the European Regional Development Fund but no decision has been made and no specific proposal has as yet gone to Europe. It is for the future.
In relation to the specific scheme for the Maharees, the proposal for a coast protection scheme at three locations on the peninsula was submitted by Kerry County Council in 1964. A preliminary examination in accordance with the Coast Protection Act, 1963, undertaken in 1973. The Commissioners of Public Works did not, however, make determinations at the time on whether coast protection schemes were feasible at the three different locations because of the serious problem of beach material removal on the Maharees peninsula. I know the Deputy is aware of this problem. Instead the commissioners urged the county council to obtain an order from the Minister for Transport prohibiting the removal of the beach material. This order was made by the Minister in 1980 but subsequent inspections by the commissioners' engineers revealed evidence that, despite the order, beach material removals were continuing.
Recent inspections carried out by the commissioners' engineers suggest that the problem of beach material removals is now being brought under control and Kerry County Council have advised the commissioners that the order prohibiting the removal of beach material is being and will continue to be enforced. Accordingly, the commissioners are now examining all aspects of the council's proposal for a protection scheme with a view to making the required determination under the Coast Protection Act, 1963. While this determination will be made as soon as possible, we must bear in mind the large number of other proposals for coast protection works which are also under consideration. I am unable to say when this statutory process will be completed. The Deputy's assumptions that the planning and determination have been done is incorrect.
I think the Office of Public Works have said that beach material was being removed from the three areas on the Maharees. Much of the information they were getting was not true. I made extensive inquiries about the——
No speech Deputy.
——amount of beach material being removed from the Maharees. There is hardly any being removed and certainly Kerry County Council are ensuring that the prohibiting order which was made a number of years ago is being adhered to.
I accept that fully.