Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is good to be able to kick these issues about. Practically all the focus has been upon rivers, towns and villages, which I can understand as that is where settlements are. However there is a more individual area that is being ignored, namely, the coastal areas. I shall cite an example. The Minister spoke about the minor works for the local authorities, which is good. An issue arises when there are individuals who are being completely ignored and are being affected by legislation, including EU legislation.

When the Department, the OPW, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, and the local authorities are involved, an unfortunate individual can become bogged and weighed down by rules, regulations, legislation and the like. I want to give the Minister of State a good example. There is an area in north Wexford that is in a special area of conservation, SAC. The access point to a person's home has been washed into the sea and there is now a ten-foot drop where it was. A number of years ago I organised for officials of the NPWS and the local authority to visit, but I am not sure if somebody from the OPW came. All sorts of thing were to be done. However, when everything was all looked at and analysed, what was required to be done would not be legal because the area was in a SAC, according to the assessment made by the powers that be. Meanwhile, the assessment was that the area would be washed into the sea, but that was okay because it was a naturally occurring event. However, people's houses will be washed into the sea and for them to defend their properties, they will have to break the law. I accept that the Minister of State has to look at settlements, villages and towns. Of course, he has to do this. However, people living along the coast must be given the opportunity to at least protect their property. That is all I am asking, but to protect their property, it will have an impact on an SAC. When the analysis is made, there must be some derogation somewhere along the line.