Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 April 2014
26. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the action he has taken to protect the coast of Ireland against land erosion due to storm damage; and his plans regarding same in view of the fact that 250 acres were lost in the last storms. [13207/14]
View answerThe investigation and addressing of coastal protection problems are matters for the Local Authorities concerned in the first instance. A Local Authority must assess any problems or high risk areas in the county and, if it is considered that specific measures and works are required, it is open to them to apply for funding to deal with coastal protection under the Office of Public Works' (OPW) Minor Flood Mitigation Works & Coastal Protection Scheme. All applications received under this scheme are assessed under the eligibility criteria, which include a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial, and having regard to the overall availability of funding. The OPW Minor Works Scheme has been of benefit to many Local Authorities in dealing with coastal protection problems since it was introduced in 2009. It is also open to Local Authorities to carry out flood mitigation and coastal protection works using their own resources.
Coastal erosion is a natural and ongoing process and needs to be considered in a holistic way as its impact can vary greatly in different locations and over time. It only becomes a problem when it threatens human life, infrastructure and properties. The primary objective of Government policy on coastal protection is to ensure that in areas identified as being at greatest risk of damage or loss to economic assets through coastal erosion or flooding, appropriate and sustainable measures are identified by Local Authorities to protect those assets and, where such measures are economically justified on cost benefit grounds and compatible with all required environmental and other statutory requirements, they are implemented subject to the availability of resources.
The Irish Coastal Protection Strategy Study (ICPSS) has surveyed and assessed the coastal erosion risk along the entire national coastline and this information is available to all Local Authorities to enable them to develop appropriate plans and strategies for the sustainable management of the coastline in their counties including the identification, prioritisation and, subject to the availability of resources, the implementation of coastal protection works both of a structural and non-structural nature.
