Alan Farrell (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses from the OPW for appearing before the joint committee. I have two questions but I wish to follow up on a point made by Deputy Fleming about flooding having a knock-on effect for private property owners in residential areas, in particular. I am aware of a stream in local authority owned land flooding in 2010. As a result the row of houses that back onto that land have not been able to get home insurance because of an inappropriate loading on their policies. Upstream on publicly owned land, as far as I am aware vested in the Minister of Finance, there was a blockage at the mouth of a river where it met the sea. This resulted in the water backing up in the stream that caused this problem in Kinsealy in 2010. The local authority washed its hands of responsibility on the basis that it was private property, however, it was not, it was public property. I am aware of similar instances in a number of places. I am not entirely sure if Ms McGrath will be able to give me an answer. There are major knock-on effects when maintenance of ditches or steams in public ownership does not occur.

I wish to raise the issue of coastal erosion. Ms McGrath will be familiar with what occurred in Portrane a year or so ago. While the OPW has been very helpful in providing funding, which has been matched by Fingal County Council to complete a study, inertia is creeping in. The storms will blow in very shortly and there are homes a couple of metres from the water mark of the tidal surges 12 months ago. I understand the necessity for the studies, but homes are located in areas where they should not be, but that is not at issue, but the local representatives have to deal with the impact of tidal surges. Ms McGrath's comments would be appreciated.