Under the coast protection programme for 1999, I announced that a total of 29 projects are being carried out in conjunction with local authorities at a total cost of some £5 million. This represents a five-fold increase on the annual funding available in previous years and underlines my commitment and that of the Government to tackling the threat of coastal erosion.
The projects are at locations in Counties Louth, Dublin, Wicklow, Wexford, Cork, Kerry, Clare, Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal and will receive financial assistance from my Department of up to 75 per cent of the total costs. Phase 1 of the Bray coast protection scheme and protection works of Quilty, County Clare, are being undertaken with EU funding support under the coast protection measure of the Operational Programme for Environmental Services, 1994-99, which provided for total expenditure of some £5 million on coast protection works over the five year period. The additional Exchequer funding which I secured for this year is supporting the other projects being undertaken.
I have also committed funding in the current year for development of a geographical information system and for coastal and aerial survey work. The data generated from this essential survey work will critically inform future coastal protection programmes. In that context I am committed to a comprehensive national strategy for tackling coastal erosion based on systematic identification and prioritisation of projects and appropriate response strategies. I am seeking, in the context of the National Development Plan, a level of funding for coast protection commensurate with the very serious problems which need to be tackled.
