Bernard Allen
Ceist:60 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Marine the proposals, if any, he has to deal with the problem of coastal erosion.
Written Answers. - Coastal Erosion.
Primary responsibility for coast protection lies with the property owner, whether it be a private individual or a local authority. The Department of the Marine's role is to work in conjunction with local authorities on the management of the coastal zone rather than individual sites.
European Union Structural Funds are being sought under the National Development Plan 1994-1999 to help address the growing erosion problem. A sum of £5.5 million is to be made available over the period 1994 through 1999.
In order to draw up a national coastal protection plan, all maritime local authorities were invited to submit proposals for addressing serious erosion problems in their administrative areas. These proposals are with the Department and are being examined with a view to their possible inclusion in the plan.
As I am sure the Deputy can appreciate, the costs of the proposals submitted far exceeds the moneys available for this purpose under the National Development Plan. As a result, the Department will only be able to grant-aid local authorities in respect of the most urgent coastal erosion problems proposed, having regard to economic, environmental and ecological impacts.
Further consultation with local authorities will be required before a list of urgent coastal erosion projects for inclusion in the programme can be finalised. In addition, an operational programme to enable the European Union funding to be drawn down remains to be agreed with the Commission of the European Communities. Pending completion of these exercises it is not possible to identify which projects will be included in the finalised programme.