asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline the proposals received to date from local authorities under the Coast Protection Act, 1963; the works carried out under the Act; the total State expenditure to date under the Act; and when it is hoped that proposals still on hands will be dealt with.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Coast Protection.
12.
Mr. Kenny
Fifty-eight proposals conforming with the provisions of the Act have been received viz.
|
County |
Number |
|
Cork |
8 |
|
Donegal |
12 |
|
Dublin |
2 |
|
Louth |
2 |
|
Kerry |
18 |
|
Mayo |
1 |
|
Sligo |
6 |
|
Waterford |
1 |
|
Wexford |
3 |
|
Wicklow |
5 |
|
— |
|
|
Total |
58 |
Eight other cases have been submitted but the statutory requirements have not yet been fully complied with in regard to them.
Five schemes have been completed: The Murrough, Wicklow; Front Strand, Youghal, County Cork; Moville, County Donegal; Strandhill, County Sligo; and Rossnowlagh, County Donegal.
The State expenditure incurred under the Act is approximately £356,000, including local authority contributions towards the cost of the works amounting to £98,000 and £91,000 spent on maintenance of completed works including maintenance of works at Rosslare Strand carried out prior to the Act. Maintenance expenditure is recoverable from the local authorities concerned.
New proposals are being investigated as rapidly as allowed by the staff and resources available and the specialised and difficult nature of the work. At this stage I cannot say when the proposals on hand can all be disposed of.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that in counties like Wexford, which is my constituency, with very long vulnerable coastlines, there are very serious coast erosion problems and would he not also agree that we are only tinkering with the problem in general at the moment? I am sure the Parliamentary Secretary will agree that an expenditure of something like £360,000 in three years is nothing like commensurate with the expenditure required to solve the problem of coast erosion. I am sure the Parliamentary Secretary will also agree that in one part of Wexford the coast has disappeared to the extent of one mile in depth in my lifetime.
This is a very long question.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary not now make some effort to do something on a national scale to deal with coast erosion? Local authorities are unable to deal with this very serious problem.
Mr. Kenny
The Act is a very complicated one. First of all, local authorities must comply with their part of the Act. When I get the necessary financial assistance to do all these works we will do them as quickly as possible.
Another Richie knocker.
Mr. Kenny
Each scheme costs something in the region of £200,000.
Not at all.
Only one half has been done as yet.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that at the present rate of progress absolutely nothing is being done as far as this serious problem is concerned. Some centuries hence I can see a situation in which the coastline will be up around Carlow-Kilkenny. I am worried about the future of my constituency.
Question No. 13 postponed.