Vol. 486 No. 5
7 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands if she has examined and decided details of the Boffin initiative in relation to environmental conservation and coastal protection; the funding, if any, available in 1998 for this purpose; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2809/98]
I assume the Deputy is referring to the Boffin conservation initiative which I understand is being promoted by an island based voluntary group formed to conserve and preserve the dune system at Duach Beach situated at the island's east end. I also understand that the Leader programme grant-aided the project in 1997 and that further Leader funding has been sanctioned to enable the project to continue in 1998.
I should add that I sanctioned a grant of £40,000 to Galway County Council in 1997 to enable it to carry out some coastal protection works on the island. These works are in addition to the conservation works being undertaken under the Boffin conservation initiative.
The islands programme of allocations for 1998 is now being prepared and proposals for this programme are being examined by my Department.
Is there liaison between the Minister of State's Department and the Department of the Environment and Local Government? The question covers not only the east end project but the coastal erosion on Inisbofin. What is the response to the recent application by Galway County Council for grant aid for essential coastal protection work at a very dangerous section where the road on Inisbofin is in danger of collapsing?
There is continuous dialogue between my Department and the various county councils. I wrote during the week seeking to meet the various island committees of the councils involved. I hope through this partnership to develop programmes to deal with coastal erosion and other infrastructural problems on the islands.
As the Deputy is aware, work was done by Galway County Council on the preparation of a coastal management plan for Inisbofin. That programme cost in excess of £1 million. My Department does not have access to funds of that magnitude, even though they have increased considerably. We hope to work out a continuous programme of coastal work based on urgency, requirement, need and benefit. I hope we will be able to conclude works on coastal protection on the islands in the 1998 programme of works.
Galway County Council wants to follow up the good work carried out on Inisbofin, following the allocation of £75,000, at my request, when Deputy Carey was Minister of State with responsibility for the islands.
A question please, Deputy. We want to move on to other questions as some Members have been waiting all afternoon.
I thought Deputy Carey was entitled to a plug following the hard time he had a while ago. Galway County Council added £25,000 to the allocation and £100,000 was spent on the job to which the Minister of State referred. The job is costing £500,000, not £1 million.
A question please, Deputy.
What is the attitude of the Department towards the application for the £100,000 grant for the necessary work?
The Deputy forgot to mention the £40,000 I provided for coastal works in Inisbofin last year—
I was going to ask about that.
There is no shortage of money.
—which, added to Deputy Carey's generous donation, has meant that considerable works have taken place. The county council's estimate of the cost of the required work is £1.25 million. That is its estimate, not mine. We are preparing a programme of works and I do not want to pre-empt county council discussions. I asked the various county council committees to meet me. It would be wrong to make any decisions prior to those meetings. The least I owe the county councils' islands' committee, the Galway one of which Deputy McCormack is a member, is that I will listen to what they have to say before making the decision on this year's allocation.
I realise that coastal protection works on islands is vital. The funds available from other sources are limited and it is necessary to try to work out, in partnership with county councils, within the limited funding, a coastal protection plan which is based on necessity and cost benefit. The benefit should outweigh the cost because there is such a demand for money.
A house is in danger of falling into the sea on Inisbofin because of the road and coastal erosion. It is an urgent case, which is why Deputy McCormack put down the question. He wants to know why this urgent need has not been met this year. The Minister will be negotiating this three way partnership between his own Department, the Department of the Environment and Galway County Council until the end of the year and no work will be done.
That was not a question.
It most certainly was a question.
If we are going to have a contest about the quality of my questions, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, be prepared.
It was a statement.
If this is so urgent why did Deputy Carey not sanction money for it last year?
I did.
It was not done for this particular work.
The first part of it is done.
I am aware of the house that Deputy Carey is referring to and I accept the urgency of the work. Other very urgent works needed to be done to protect the road to another house so that an elderly person could have access to their own home. Unfortunately, coming up to the end of last year my funds were limited. However, I can assure the Deputy that in consultation with the county councils — and I did not mention the Department of the Environment — decisions will be made quickly and these factors will be taken into account. As I said regarding the bóithre áise, it is now the beginning of February and we are in the process of drawing up a plan of work for the year. It is correct for me to discuss this with the county councils and then a full work programme will be announced. I can assure the Deputy that it will be no good, next July, looking for £300,000 or £400,000 in the kitty that has not been allocated because, unlike last year, it will not be there.
It was very useful to the Minister of State.
It was very useful.
It was ongoing.
Deputy Carey, two of your colleagues have been here all afternoon waiting to have their questions answered. It is not fair to them to interrupt and hold up the Minister.
