Vol. 503 No. 4
90 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the Government's policy on coastal erosion; the funding which has been made available; where this funding, if any, has been targeted in order to alleviate the problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10373/99]
The Government is committed to ensuring that the Irish coastline is protected and preserved, both as a resource in its own right and in the interests of those who live and work in coastal areas. Coastal protection works, carried out in harmony with the environment and on the basis of clear cost-benefit justification, are, therefore, an integral part of my Department's policy to enhance the development of coastal regions.
I recently announced, under the 1999 coast protection programme, that a total of 29 projects will be carried out in conjunction with local authorities at a total cost of £4.9 million. This represents a fivefold increase on the annual funding available in previous years. This very significant increase in Exchequer support for coast protection schemes underlines my commitment and that of the Government to tackling the threat of coastal erosion. The projects being funded are at locations in counties Louth, Dublin, Wicklow, Wexford, Cork, Kerry, Clare, Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal and will receive financial assistance from my Department of 75 per cent of the total costs.
I have also committed funding to develop a geographical information system and for coastal and aerial survey work. The data generated from this essential survey work will critically inform future coastal protection programmes.
