Vol. 406 No. 8
16 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Marine the present position regarding the coast protection scheme for the south County Dublin coastline which was submitted by Dublin County Council in 1979; and his views on whether the Coast Protection Act, 1963 should now be amended to make it more flexible.
(Limerick West): My Department have no proposals for a coast protection scheme for the south County Dublin coastline. The primary responsibility for coast protection does however rest with the relevant local authorities.
As I indicated to the Dáil on 13 February 1990, I was not then persuaded that the Coast Protection Act, 1963 was necessarily the best vehicle for dealing with proposals for coast protection schemes. I am also aware of the considerable dissatisfaction that has been expressed at the long and complex procedures required by that Act. A more flexible approach has since been adopted. The policy of my Department is to facilitate the implementation of permanent schemes, where warranted, to prevent progressive erosion by the sea subject of course to availability of adequate finance.
Is the Minister not aware that in 1979 Dublin County Council submitted a proposal under the Coast Protection Act, 1963 for a coast protection scheme for the south County Dublin coastline? That was made to the Office of Public Works who were then responsible for it. Is the Minister now telling us that since he has taken over responsibility for this brief the proposed coast protection scheme for the south County Dublin coastline has been lost? Over that 12 year period the coastline has been eroded by between four and five yards.
This is a rather long question.
There has been a lot of erosion.
It is a long time to have a scheme——
Brevity, please.
——sitting in somebody's office. We are now told it is lost. Will the Minister try to revive this scheme which is apparently lost somewhere between the Office of Public Works and the Department?
(Limerick West): Nineteen seventy-nine is a long time ago. Will the Deputy ask Dublin County Council to submit a proposal and we will have it examined?
There is only one that has been examined during the last 25 years.
Let us hear the Minister.
(Limerick West): We have identified a number of locations around the country which are of priority. We are making a beginning this year. It is only this year that the Department of the Marine have taken over the responsibility for combatting coastal erosion. Will the Deputy request Dublin County Council to submit a plan and we will have it examined, keeping in mind the finances available and the other priority areas throughout the country?
I have heard of schemes getting the dustbin, but this is the proof of it. Does the Minister intend to introduce amendments to the 1963 Act, since on his own initiative the 1963 Coast Protection Act is clearly unworkable in trying to advance measures to protect our coastline from erosion?
It is a separate matter.
(Limerick West): It is, but I will answer it. We are examining the Act. Under the 1963 Act the county council submitted a plan, but in 1984 the council were informed that the scheme was not warranted. The council should resubmit the plan now.
Will the Minister tell us from the list of priorities which he appears to have there in relation to coastal erosion if any or all of the coastlines from Bray to Arklow is included in the list of priorities?
(Limerick West): State funds for coastal protection was transferred to my Department in 1990. One example of how the departmental policy is operating concerns the North Beach, Arklow. Wicklow County Council, employing consulting engineers, recently completed a major coastal protection scheme with 50 per cent grant assistance from the Department. All coastal works depend on a contribution from the local authority under the Act and we are drawing up a list of priorities.
I understood the Minister to state that, rather than abide too closely by the inflexible Coast Protection Act, 1963, his Department had invested in permanent schemes. How many of those permanent schemes are there and how many are on the east coast? Considering the badly resourced local authorities, is it not totally unacceptable that 50 per cent funding should be expected to be given by the local authorities for such an expensive project?
(Limerick West): A total of 50 per cent funding was made available by that local authority in that scheme. Fifty per cent is not being requested from local authorities, the percentage is far smaller than that. We are drawing up a list of permanent schemes. We are commencing one this year in County Kerry.
Are there any EC funds available for coastal protection?
(Limerick West): As of now there is not, but I am taking that up with the Commission to see if funds can be made available. That is the only way in which we can have a real input into coastal protection.
