Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 April 2025
628. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if any action will be taken to address the impact that coastal erosion is having on the historic St Naul’s Monastery and graveyard in the Inver area of County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19028/25]
View answerCoastal protection and localised flooding issues are matters, in the first instance, for each local authority to investigate and address.
The Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme was introduced by the OPW on an administrative, non-statutory basis in 2009. The purpose of the 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. Applications for funding from local authorities for measures or studies costing up to €750,000 can be made under this scheme. Funding of up to 90% of the total cost is available, subject to meeting specific economic, technical, social, and environmental criteria.
Since 2009, the OPW has approved funding under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme of approximately €2.3 million to County Donegal for some 45 projects. This includes approved funding of €112,500 for coastal erosion or coastal flood protection works at Inver, Co. Donegal. A recently approved minor works application for funding from Donegal County Council for works at Inver in the amount of €45,000 is included in this figure. It is also worth noting that works were undertaken along the Eany Water River bank to protect the old graveyard and ecclesiastical remains, for which funding was approved in 2016 by the OPW via the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. Where funding is approved, projects are the responsibility of the relevant local authority to advance.
The Government recognises the risks associated with climate change and that increases in sea levels and storm surges will result in more frequent coastal erosion. In response to these challenges, the recommendations outlined in the Report of the Interdepartmental Group on National Coastal Change Management Strategy are being implemented. Amongst the key recommendations of the Report is the assignment of the lead coordination role to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which is responsible for chairing an Interdepartmental Steering Group on Coastal Change.
The OPW has been designated by Government as the national lead coordinating body for the assessment of coastal change hazards and risks and the assessment of technical options and constraints. These assessments will build upon indicative assessment work previously undertaken by the OPW under the Irish Coastal Protection Strategy Study and comprise a substantial, multi-annual programme of work to assess coastal risk nationally, and then in detail at higher-risk locations as a basis for determining potential viable works to manage this risk. This work will contribute to the work of the Interdepartmental Steering Group on Coastal Change.
