The Office of Public Works does not have legal responsibility for the maintenance of former Land Commission embankments in County Kerry or elsewhere around the country. The only exception to this is when a former Land Commission embankment is incorporated into an OPW flood relief scheme. This is the case with the Maine Scheme at Garrane, North of Killorglin where OPW are currently undertaking emergency works.
As I indicated to the Deputy in my reply to PQ number 68 of 29 January that following the abolition of the Land Commission, a Public Trustee administers a fund that was intended to provide for maintenance of the former Land Commission embankments. It has since been made known to me that this Public Trustee is only responsible for 98 individual trusts with embankments or sluices. There is, as previously stated little, if any, funds remaining for maintenance of any of these structures. My Office is not aware of who, precisely, is responsible for the balance of these embankments but maintenance works have, in some places, been carried out on them by the relevant landowners.
It is a matter for Kerry County Council in the first instance to assess coastal protection issues in the locations concerned.
It is open to the Council to submit applications for works under the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works & Coastal Protection Scheme for these locations. If applications are received, they will be considered in light of the Scheme criteria and having regard to the overall availability of resources for flood risk management.
