We have no coherent policy on coastal erosion. The great fear of every politician is that his or her constituency is diminishing. I do not know about the vote but my constituency is diminishing rapidly. Only recently the European Union took an interest and has offered us £5 million in the present tranche of funds for coastal erosion. It is interesting to note that in one area of County Wexford, Rosslare, £5 million will be spent. That is just on one location. The former Government put coastal erosion to the top of the agenda and this Government is following on from that. However £5 million is a pittance in this context.
Every Deputy tends to deal with his own constituency. I will concentrate on County Wexford, particularly as the coastline of Wexford is, like its people, soft and gentle. We have 177 miles of beach, the most secure of which is probably the beautiful area of the Hook where I live, because it is surrounded by rocks. Four areas in Wexford have been designated as having severe problems. I refer to Courtown/Ardamine, Cullenstown, Cahore and Duncannon. That is not to say there are not other areas in County Wexford which are also under threat. Rosslare is one of those where a scheme is in place, although not completed. Will the Minister ensure that scheme is continued because what has been done so far has been a success, and the contribution Rosslare makes to the tourism industry is well known? The tax take from Rosslare in any one year is about £500,000, so any works carried out there would be cost effective.
There are other areas in Wexford about which I will not have time to speak later, so I will mention them briefly now. One is the 7,000 acres in the Kilmore/Baldwinstown/Duncormick area in south Wexford which are under sea level. It is not commonly known that in south Wexford we have the equivalent of the Dutch polders, protected by a bank with water pumped over that bank every day. The banks are built only a foot higher than necessary at the moment and that 7,000 acres is under severe threat because of global warming — I do not suppose this House will change international policy on that but we certainly should have an input. The Minister should take account of this and any other such areas in the country. During recent storm the bank was breached and several thousand acres were under water as were some houses which had to be evacuated — a problem not mentioned earlier during this debate.
I understand some 12 counties are affected by coastal erosion. Local authorities and groups are expected to contribute towards the cost of works to prevent erosion. That would be reasonable if such charges were fair. The figures mentioned yesterday do not take into account the cost of a full scheme — 25 per cent of the cost of a full scheme is too great for a local authority to carry. I hope this will not be used as an excuse for not carrying out works. The shoreline is a national asset and should be charged to the national purse. Some areas obviously make money from the fact that they are coastal but the charge to local authorities and local people should be less than it is.
In the recent past Wexford County Council was asked to submit four priorities. Wexford County Council estimates the cost of the first phase of works at Courtown/Ardamine at almost £500,000, Cullenstown at £108,000, Cahore at £90,000 and Duncannon at £75,000, and the benefits would be substantial. Wexford County Council has had many discussions about the areas mentioned. The estimated tourism revenue from north east Wexford is about £25 million a year and there is a substantial tax take from that for the Government. This estimate came from the County Wexford Coastal Zone Management Plan of 1992, and two thirds of the income may be attributed to the intensely developed Courtown/ Ardamine area which is well known particularly to Dublin people. The Courtown north beach encompasses a blue flag beach which will be under greater threat the further in the sea comes. This beach is backed by an area of scientific interest. It will be interesting to see if Europe will make a more substantial contribution since it is promoting ASIs and NHAs so vehemently here. Courtown Habour is located between the two beaches at Ardamine and Courtown and is used as a yachting harbour — it is the only haven between Arklow and Wexford.
Cullenstown is much closer to home and every year acres of ground are lost to the sea. The banks there are of clay and any attack there sweeps much needed land into the sea. My colleague, Deputy Browne, yesterday called for compensation for a small farmer for the loss of his land and that must be considered. The land in that area is disappearing day by day, but there are quite a few houses in that area which makes the problem all the more serious. The vagaries of the sea are difficult to understand and in recent times the sea has been quite kind to us in Cullenstown in that the river has changed its course. Officials of the Department will be aware that now is the right time to proceed with works at Cullenstown. If we wait for the sea to change again, which could happen any day, the cost will be far higher.
At a cost of £75,000 works should commence at Duncannon immediately. The Minister may say there is no money in the kitty, but this must be top of the agenda when land and houses are disappearing into the sea.
I visited Cahore recently and to see a house with its gable wall being undermined by the sea and almost hanging over the cliff is frightening. I invite the Minister, Deputy Gilmore, on his next visit to Wexford, to see for himself the severe threat we are under in Wexford and the absolute necessity for moneys to be poured in immediately. I hope he will bring as good news the next time he comes as he did last time.
