I ask your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to share my time with Deputies John O'Donoghue and Tom McEllistrim.
Adjournment Debate. - County Kerry Coast Erosion.
Is that agreed? Agreed.
The Maharees Peninsula, in common with the rest of Kerry and the county as a whole, suffered greatly during the past few weeks from the unusally inclement weather. The Maharees Peninsula is an area richly endowed with natural amenities and has considerable potential for agriculture, fishing and tourism. The future of this peninsula is now seriously threatened by continuous coastal erosion, caused especially by the recent storms.
At two locations — Fahamore and at the northern end of the peninsula on the way to Scraggane Pier — the main road was covered with boulders thrown up from the sea and damage was caused to the shore embankment. Kerry County Council have made these areas passable again but it is obvious they will have to carry out some works to prevent further damage to the roads and watermains at the Maharees.
Over the past ten years Kerry County Council have been compelled to expend moneys on protecting services from coastal erosion in the Maharees Peninsula. It is estimated that over the past ten years Kerry County Council have spent £100,000 on this type of work. The damage caused by the storms of the past few weeks means that Kerry County Council will have to expend funds at a far greater rate than heretofore in order to preserve their services.
I should like to describe the conditions on the coastline of the peninsula from Trench Bridge along the eastern coastline of the peninsula to a point opposite Trench Bridge on the western coast. Some protection work has been carried out already by Kerry County Council north of Trench Bridge by the placement of large rocks on the cliff side of the public road. This work should be extended towards Bealgeal, just north of Trench Bridge, in order to prevent further erosion as this area was seriously encroached on during the past winter.
Kerry County Council purchased property to be used as a car park at Maherabeg. This area has suffered much erosion, with the consequent loss of ground, over the past two years. It is now highly desirable to carry out coastal protection works at the council car park to prevent further erosion. Going north along this coastline there is a good deposit of gravel and stone which seems to be holding up pretty well. Erosion from the car park towards Kilshannig was minimal during the past winter.
Just before reaching Kilshannig Point, for a distance of about 500 yards, the gravel gives way to sand with the result that resistance to erosion is much less. Consequently, there was a further loss of ground during the past winter. The coastline from Kilshannig Point to Kilshannig village is mainly a rocky outcrop which is resistant to erosion. Immediately south of Kilshannig village, where the level of land is rather low, there is the distinct danger that the tide could cut across south of the village of Kilshannig thereby creating an island of the village and the land around it to the north.
The public road at this location is often blocked by deposits of land material and it is imperative that protection works are carried out here as a matter of urgency. The section of the coast from Kilshannig village to Candiha is subject to erosion and the good grass margin which existed between the road and the sea two years ago has all but disappeared at this stage. This means that protection works will have to be carried out at this location also, in order to protect the road and the piece of the sand dune which remains.
The area from Candiha to Scraggane, which is private, suffered the loss of at least ten feet of land during the past winter. As a result, some houses at this location are being threatened as, indeed, are houses at Kilshannig village. Scraggane Point is a rock outcrop which is resistant to erosion. However, it must be stated that some minor damage to the area near Scraggane pier was done during the recent storms. The coastal area near the junction on the Fahamore road has been undermined and needs further protection as a matter of urgency.
The coastline from Illaunanoon to Fahamore is mainly a rocky outcrop and no great damage was done here. The area just north-west of the village of Fahamore suffered the loss of nearly ten feet of land during the last winter with the result that houses at Fahamore village are in some danger.
The sea adjoins the road just south of Fahamore village and pours onto the road regularly. This usually results in damage being caused, as happened this winter. The existing protection works need to be strengthened and extended southwards as a matter of urgency. The county council road, 300 yards south of Fahamore village, is not in danger from the sea and erosion at present. However, this section of the coastline down to a point almost opposite Trench Bridge was the biggest casualty of the recent storms. Some 40 feet of land has been washed away since the beginning of December and the two surface water sluices were damaged. These are adjacent to an occupied house. The main sluice and 40 feet of piping were broken. The high sand dunes in this area are easily eroded by the wind and rain and should be the subject of a coastal protection programme.
Kerry County Council engineers estimate that it will cost £51,000 to remedy the damage to council property. This figure includes the cost of repairing the sluices and providing protection for the roads at various locations. It is obvious from the examination carried out that the damage done is extensive and if protection works are not undertaken as a matter of urgency it is possible that the rate of damage will be accelerated. The county engineer at a recent council meeting suggested that funds in the region of £750,000 should be made available for a proper coastal protection scheme for private property on the Maharees Peninsula.
The Minister assumed responsibility for coast protection in January and I would remind him that under the Coast Protection Act, 1963 no scheme has been carried out in Kerry. Six have been carried out throughout the country. I appeal to him, and to the Taoiseach in particular, who has a special affinity with this area, to take immediate action. If he fails to do so much of the land which he viewed at the Maharees last summer will have disappeared when he goes back there next summer.
I have to advise the Deputy that the time available to him is nearly exhausted.
He has now a unique opportunity to show in a practical way the great love he has expressed for this area. He has done so in the case of the Great Blasket. I appeal to him to do the same in the case of the Maharees.
I thank Deputy Deenihan for sharing his time with me. The need for coastal protection works at the Maharees was first highlighted 30 years ago. Kerry County Council submitted a list of priority works to the Office of Public Works 25 years ago but not one of these schemes was ever touched. The seriousness of the problem at the Maharees is underlined by the fact that on one night in recent years a property owner lost 46 feet of his land to the sea leaving his house within 40 feet of the sea.
Unless urgent remedial action is undertaken at least parts of the Maharees Peninsula will become an island. Kerry County Council's services in the area were seriously damaged in the recent storm and the repair cost is estimated at £51,000.
I sincerely hope that the transfer of responsibility for coast protection from the Office of Public Works to the Department of the Marine will lead to a coherent coastal protection programme for this country. It is ridiculous that as an island nation we have never had a coherent policy for coastal protection works and the Maharees serves as an ideal example of the level of neglect in this area down through the years. I urge the Minister to save the homes and property of the Maharees Peninsula.
Coastal protection works have to be carried out at the Maharees Peninsula which juts out to the sea at Castlegregory. There is a well known island off the Maharees called O'Leary's Island. I can assure the Minister that we will have another island in County Kerry if coastal protection works are not carried out at the Maharees in the very near future. I would like to remind the Minister that there is a full prohibition order in place in respect of the Maharees and I ask him to seek a special grant from the Minister for Finance to carry out coastal protection works in this area.
I was present at a meeting at the Maharees when the storm was in full force. The waves were 20 feet high. Kerry County Council, since I first came into politics 21 years ago, have carried out protection works on the road. If this action had not been taken the people living in the area would not now be able to get down to the Maharees. The Office of Public Works' engineer complimented Kerry County Council for the protection works they have carried out. I do not want to detain the House for too long but let me point out that it is small farmers who grow onions and vegetables who mainly make up the population of the Maharees. There are also many fishermen. It is God's own country and a great place to go to on holidays. I appeal to the Minister for the Marine to help us and to seek a special grant from the Minister for Finance to carry out protection works in the Maharees. If he fails to do so we will have an extra island in County Kerry.
I thank the Deputies for their contributions on this very serious problem. The recent storms have heightened public awareness of the problem being experienced on this historic peninsula. I am aware that the problems of coast erosion and the removal of sand were linked together but I do not think the removal of sand, although a long-standing complaint in the area, was particularly significant with regard to the present damage. An order prohibiting the removal of beach material was obtained recently. Beach removals have aggravated erosion at this peninsula as is recorded in the files I obtained from the Office of Public Works. As the Deputies have already stated, houses are in danger.
I assumed responsibility for coast protection in January of this year when I was given the princely sum of £150,000, all of which had been committed in 1989. In response to parliamentary questions on 13 February, I outlined my policy to the House. Essentially, I will be arranging for a review of coast protection procedures in conjunction with the Department of the Environment but I am already satisfied that my Department's primary role in the matter will be to facilitate the underpinning of permanent coastal protection schemes designed to give long-term relief. As the House is aware, such schemes are very costly and cannot be put in place overnight. Furthermore, the causes of any particular case of coastal erosion — in this instance it was a storm — can seldom be judged without close study and observation over a period of time. Remedial measures sometimes involve trial and experiment.
The Deputies will also be aware that as an emergency measure, following the persistent bad weather of recent weeks, the Government set up a Cabinet subcommittee to report urgently on storm damage. I am a member of that committee and the Deputies can be assured that it will be pressing for special funding to deal with damage to our coast, which was referred to by Deputy McEllistrim.
I am not in a position to make promises tonight but I can assure the Deputies that the Government are determined to deal with the storm damage problems as equitably and as speedily as possible. As the Deputy said, Kerry Council Council have spent a considerable sum of money already on this area. I listened with interest when he spoke about the depositing of large rocks as the rock armour protection method seems to be the most effective way to protect coasts and prevent rock and coastal erosion.
Reference was made to the 1963 Act. In fact, this Act refers to the Office of Public Works, and it is generally agreed that it is not a very effective Act as it is very difficult to apply. Since 1963, only six schemes have been put through. These were carried out at The Murrough, County Wicklow, Youghal, Moville, Strandhill, Rossnowlagh, and Enniscrone. I am at present reviewing that Act. I am aware that the Maharees area is of particular significance to very many people and that the Castlegregory region, as indicated by Deputy McEllistrim, was the only effective region for onion growing for a long time in this country. I also know that Bill Dillon came from there and that is another reason why it should get particular attention.
I want to assure the Deputies who raised this matter that it will receive the special attention of the Special Committee which has been set up to examine this problem and, if possible funds will be provided.
The Dáil adjourned at 11.5 p.m. until 10.30 a. m. on Thursday, 22 February 1990.