Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 April 2016
112. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the steps he is taking to combat coastal erosion; the moneys spent on the alleviation of coastal erosion, by local authority area, in each of the years 2012 to 2015; if a national plan to combat coastal erosion is in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8265/16]
View answerThe 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 as appropriate.
Coastal erosion is a natural and ongoing process. Coastal erosion may threaten human life or infrastructure such as roads and may undermine and cause damage to properties. However, it can also have beneficial effects such as providing natural nourishment and supply of sediment to adjacent beaches. Due to the considerable extent and nature of the Irish coastline impacted by erosion and the fact that it is an on-going natural process, it would be uneconomical and impractical for the State to protect all of this coastline.
It is the responsibility of local authorities in the first instance to identify, investigate and address on a prioritised basis problems of coastal erosion in their areas. The primary objective of The Office of Public Works (OPW) policy on coastal protection is to ensure that, in areas identified as being at greatest risk of damage or loss to assets through coastal erosion or flooding, appropriate and sustainable measures are identified by Local Authorities to protect those assets and, where intervention measures are economically justified and compatible with all required environmental and other statutory requirements, they are implemented subject to the availability of resources.
The Office of Public Works has a scheme in place entitled the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme, which was introduced in 2009. The purpose of this scheme is to provide funding to local authorities to undertake minor flood mitigation works or studies to address localised flooding and coastal protection problems within their administrative areas. The scheme generally applies to relatively straightforward cases where a solution can be readily identified and achieved in a short time frame. All applications received are considered in accordance with the scheme eligibility criteria, which comprise economic, social and environmental criteria including a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial, and having regard to the overall availability of resources for flood risk management.
In some cases a 'do nothing' or ‘no active intervention’ approach might well be the most appropriate management response to coastal erosion, and international studies have borne this out. The European Commission Erosion study - Living with Coastal Erosion in Europe – which was completed in 2004 highlighted some important findings including the fact that some previous interventions, whilst solving erosion problems locally, have exacerbated coastal erosion at other locations or have generated other environmental problems. This study also highlighted the concept of ‘coastal squeeze’ which occurs in low-lying and inter-tidal areas which would otherwise naturally adjust to changes in sea level, storms and tides but cannot do so due to the construction of sea walls and other inflexible coastal barriers. The outcome can often be a gradual loss of amenity beach and habitat.
Because intervention within a coastal area may cause problems further along the coast, any proposed intervention measures are best developed in conjunction with a formal coastal erosion risk management study which has carefully investigated the problem and explored the full range of management options. Where warranted OPW is prepared to fund such studies under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme, in advance of any proposed erosion management works or measures.
Details on funding approved by the OPW for coastal protection works for each county from 2009 to the present is available on the OPW website under Flood Risk Management/Minor Works Scheme/Annual Lists of Minor Works Projects for which Funding has been Approved. The OPW does not have information on coastal protection or repair works that would have been carried out by the Local Authorities funded from their own or other (non-OPW) resources.
