Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 28 Nov 1995

Vol. 458 No. 8

Written Answers. - County Wicklow Coastal Erosion.

Liam Kavanagh

Ceist:

189 Mr. Kavanagh asked the Minister for the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the serious problem of coastal erosion at Murrough, north of Wicklow town, where the situation is reaching disastrous proportions; and if he will have an inspection carried out immediately and make funds available to carry out the work to prevent further damage. [17848/95]

Minister for the Marine (Mr. Barrett)

Under the Operational Programme for Environmental Services 1994-99 some £5.1 million is being invested in coastal protection works. In order to identify priority works for possible inclusion under the Operational Programme, all coastal local authorities were requested to identify their top four priority protection proposals.

Wicklow County Council in their submission to the Department of the Marine identified their priority projects as follows: (i) Protection of Bray promenade and seafront; (ii) Protection of North Beach, Arklow; (iii) Protection of cliff face in Greystones town and (iv) Protection of the Murrough, Wicklow.

In relation to the Murrough, the Council have proposed extending the existing rock armour scheme by a further 600 metres. The estimated cost of the works is in the region of £200,000.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Department is committed to undertaking the protection works at Bray. The Bray project is the Department's and the Council's priority for County Wicklow.

Consideration will be given to the Murrough along with the other priority locations identified by coastal local authorities over the period of the Operational Programme. I would however like to point out that given the total cost of all projects identified and the moneys available under the Operational Programme, it will not be possible to undertake protection works at every identified location.