I am glad to have this opportunity to bring to the notice of the House the critical problem of coast erosion affecting the village of Cahore on the Wexford coastline between Gorey and Wexford town.
I would also like the Minister to assure me that under the Structural Funds coast protection and maintenance works will be included because that will be the essential ingredient to address the problem in Cahore and, indeed, all the other villages in Wexford as well as other maritime counties that do not have rock abutment but which have only sand dunes between them and the sea.
There has been an ongoing problem for some time in Cahore. After the 1989-90 winter storms Wexford County Council expended £50,000, 50 per cent of which was recouped to them from the Minister's Department, to protect the pier in Cahore. However, there has been progressive erosion since, as there had been over the years before the storms of that particular winter.
Cahore represents a small part of the 80 miles of sandy beach in Wexford. I would like the Minister to give an assurance that he accepts the principle of central Government funding for coast protection and maintenance works. Now that the Coast Protection Act is effectively obsolete, will the Minister indicate that he will direct moneys for the protection and support of the structures in and around Cahore village. I realise we cannot hold the sea back indefinitely on all our vulnerable coastline, but we must have a selective policy of retreat whereby we designate the areas that we will defend against the forces of nature, the sea, and draw moneys from the Structural Funds to protect those areas.
Rosslare Strand has been an ongoing problem. We have yet to receive the moneys for this year and we need assurances in this regard. We have major problems with Courtown pier and the residents of Cahore village are seriously under threat at this time.
I would like to read into the record a letter from the Save Cahore Fund which I and other Oireachtas Members recently received. It refers to:
... the utmost urgency for some action to be taken to save the small village of Cahore near Gorey in County Wexford.
For the past three years, we [the local residents] have been trying to get some action which would help alleviate the fears of local residents with regard to the safety of their homes.
Some small amount of work (large boulders placed on the beach by the county council) has been done but it is feared that, because the work has not continued [unfortunately Wexford County Council's financial position does not allow them spend money on coastal defences] a further problem could arise due to tidal conditions etc.
While we understand that there are a lot of important problems facing the country at the moment we do feel that we have some right to benefit from the large sums of money being injected into the country by way of Structural Funds from the European Community.
I would like the Minister to assure me tonight that moneys will be made available from the Structural Funds for coastal defence work. The letter goes on:
We are a small community with very little voice but we do feel we have a right to be heard and, most certainly, not feel as neglected as we do.
I do hope that you can give this matter urgent consideration as we feel that time is running out.
Two years ago county engineers from the maritime local authorities produced a report entitled Coastal Zone Management: A Case for Action. I bring that to the Minister's attention and I presume he is already familiar with it. I urge him to examine that report and respond to the proposals therein of local authority county engineers from the maritime counties.
Maritime counties do not own their coastline. Our coastline is a beautiful and natural resource, but it must be funded, maintained and protected by central Exchequer funds because local authorities have no financial rate base. I urge the Minister, in confirming his help tonight for Cahore village, to indicate also that Structural Funds will be used for coastal maintenance and protection in the vulnerable maritime counties.