Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 March 2015
13. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will carry out an inventory in relation to coastal defences here with a view to having a plan for rolling funding for repairs and improvements as necessary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11693/15]
View answerI wish to ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will carry out an inventory in relation to coastal defences with a view to having rolling funding for such issues that may arise concerning coastal defences.
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. Where intervention 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. It is not practical to provide protection to the entire coastline. The Irish Coastal Protection Strategy Study, ICPSS, is a major examination to assess and identify the most significant areas of erosion risk for the entire national coastline. These programmes assist with the identification of areas potentially at risk from coastal flooding nationally.
The OPW, in conjunction with its consultants, has prepared and published strategic coastal flood hazard maps. These maps have been prepared for the current and two future scenarios, mid-range and high-end, associated with sea level rise in the context of climate change. The mid-range future scenario represents the flood hazard based on a 0.5m sea level rise at 2100, whilst the high-end future scenario represents a 1.0m sea level rise. This major study provides invaluable and essential information required to inform coastal protection policy.
I am conscious of time, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, so I will give the Deputy a chance to ask a question.
Thank you, Minister. We just have time for one supplementary question.
I thank the Minister for his reply. I acknowledge the engagement by the Office of Public Works and the Minister of State, Deputy Harris, with Galway County Council on a range of flood defence issues. Last year, there were a series of storms which caused coastal erosion. The old proverb says that "A stitch in time, saves nine", so expenditure now can save future expenditure. There are plenty of examples whereby coastal defence issues have been identified by local communities for a long time. Funding was not available, however, because of uncertainly over whether responsibility lay with the OPW, the county council, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, or the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
A small amount of expenditure could have prevented major expenditure last year on particular problems. There are also ongoing problems on private property, for example, in Dog's Bay which is a world-renowned area near Ballyconneely and Roundstone in Connemara. No money is available for coastal defences there since it is private property. In addition, no money has been identified at all for the second round of storms that occurred in February 2014. Money was made available quickly following the storms in January 2014, but not for the storm damage in February 2014. These issues are ongoing. If an inventory is supplied by local authorities to identify the areas affected, the Minister could put in place a rolling fund for the OPW for the protection of existing coastal defences.
I hear what the Deputy is saying, loud and clear, and there is a lot of merit in his suggestion. In the context of the new capital programme I am working on, I am conscious that there are a number of overarching issues. One of them will be how to address climate change in future, not only concerning coastal flooding and storm damage but also protecting communities that are prone to flooding from rivers. That will require significant funding, so we will have regard to it in future plans. I will certainly take note of what the Deputy has said.
