Dinny McGinley
Question:39 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the projects to be carried out based on the coastal erosion finances for 1999. [26559/98]
Other Questions. - Coastal Erosion.
Billy Timmins
Question:73 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the projects to be completed in Wicklow under the coastal erosion finances for 1999. [26556/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 73 together.
I am pleased to inform Deputies that the 1999 Estimates provide for significantly increased funding for coast protection works. The amount I have allocated for coast protection projects in 1999 is £3.74 million. This is a fourfold increase over the annual level of funding to date. I have asked the Department to draw up a prioritised programme of works for which financial support will be made available in 1999 in light of the very many proposals for coast protection schemes received from local authorities.
In County Wicklow, phase 1 of the Bray coast protection scheme will be completed next year. I am consulting closely with Bray Urban District Council and all relevant interests in relation to scoping the further works required to provide the necessary definitive level of protection at Bray. Other proposals for coast protection works in County Wicklow and around the country will be considered in the context of prioritising projects under the 1999 programme.
For the longer term, we need a comprehensive national strategy for tackling coastal erosion. This will entail clear and systematic identification and prioritisation of coast protection needs and the appropriate means of responding to specific problems. I will be pursuing the development of this strategy in consultation with ministerial colleagues over the coming months. I am also seeking in the next round of Structural Funds a level of funding for coast protection commensurate with the very serious problems which we face.
I welcome the fourfold increase in the allocation. However, I am sure the Minister will agree that it is insufficient to address even the tip of the iceberg in terms of coastal erosion and that this problem is assuming very critical proportions in parts of the country. A number of years ago I remember every local authority with responsibility for a coast was asked to submit a number of priority areas — I think it was four or five — within their area of responsibility. These beaches have already been identified by the local authorities and were submitted to the Department three years ago, therefore a priority list exists.
When does the Minister expect to be able to address the problems in the areas on the lists submitted? How much will this cost? Instead of £3.74 million, £347 million would be necessary to make an impression on the difficulties that exist. In County Donegal the areas that need attention include Magheraroarty, Portnew and Muirveagh. These areas were included on the list submitted four years ago and little or nothing has happened yet.
Costings and figures were done by local authorities and the cost of addressing the needs of the priority areas which were submitted came to £35 million. It was not expected that all these areas would be addressed in one year. The priority areas were spread around the country and, in the case of Donegal County Council, included Ramelton, Lisfannon, Millbay, Magheraroarty, Teelin, Mountcharles, White Strand, Inver and Shore Road, Bundoran. I will examine these areas in the context of the money available to see what can be done. There are areas in very serious need of attention, such as Quilty in County Clare and Bray where the situation is particularly serious.
The results of research show the problem in terms of sea level rises. It is estimated that the global mean sea level has risen by between 100 millimetres and 250 millimetres in the past 100 years. The average rise is between one and 2.55 millimetres per year. Donegal is very fortunate as the level is rising rather than falling, though some problems still exist. It is Deputy Sheehan's area which is falling.
Land movements arising primarily from postglacial adjustments complicate the extraction of this data from tide gauge records. Analysis of recorded data from five tide gauges around the Irish coast yield the following results. The sea level in Dublin increased by 0.3 millimetres per year. In Courtown in County Wexford it increased by 0.54 and by 1.58 at Castletownshend in County Cork. It decreased at Malin Head in County Donegal by 2.4 and increased at Ballycastle in County Antrim by 0.64.
The sea level fall at Malin Head was attributed to a local land rise recovery from glacial loading. We are moving up slowly. If people feel they have a rise in the morning, that is where it is coming from. Fortunately it is very small and will not affect people too much. Global warming is expected to lead to a rise in the mean sea level as a result of thermal expansion of the oceans and melting glaciers and ice sheets. Deputy Sheehan is having more difficulty in that regard.
I am staying afloat.
Some of the problems in Donegal will have to be looked at.
Are we getting money to compensate for the problems in Cork?
I welcome the Minister's announcement of the allocation of £3.74 million, but I was disappointed that he is devoting all his attention to Bray. He said he was to get a comprehensive national strategy report. That has already been submitted to his Department by the respective county councils of the maritime counties. I am very disappointed the Minister has made no provision for the Red Strand and Warren areas, Owenahincha, Glandore, Castletownshend——
A question please.
——Roaringwater Bay, Barleycove and the Kilcrohane and the Beara peninsulas. I live in this area and I am greatly disappointed the Minister has not devoted his energies to addressing the problems of that area.
A question please.
For generations we have been repelling the Atlantic and keeping it back from taking over the whole country. I ask the Minister——
In deference to his colleagues, the Deputy should ask a question.
——to address the problem of coastal erosion from Clonakilty to the Kenmare river estuary.
Good job.
Deputy Timmins is the only one who can get things done.
We have 5,800 kilometres of coastline in the Republic, and 3,000 kilometres comprise what is called soft coastline. Much of that is in Deputy Sheehan's area.
The people in west Cork must be soft to tolerate this.
Erosion is a particular problem with the soft coastline — there are sandy beaches, sand dunes and clay cliffs. There is a great deal of work to be done here, as I said when examining the local authorities' submissions. The Operational Programme for Environmental Services 1994-9 provided £5 million over five years; it amounted to slightly less than £1 million per year. We can now go a good deal further. The 1993 amount was £100,000, so the £3.74 million can be seen as a substantial change in that. We will look for EU funds from the next package to enhance that. It means that——
To deal with west Cork?
We will deal with some of west Cork, but we will also be able to deal with some of the other problems and to look at different methods of dealing with those problems. There are other solutions to the soft sands problem. However, in Bray there is the problem of rock armouring, the promenade is being undermined and harbour walls are being swept away. That is a major problem. In Quilty the public road is being threatened.
What about Red Strand?
We will look at Red Strand and some of the other places Deputy Sheehan mentioned. At least we have some money to see what can be done for some of these places. We are anxious to do what we can.
I hope I do not wake up submerged some morning.