Mr. Tony Smyth:

We have a comprehensive Irish coastal protection strategy study that is nearing completion, as set out in our submission. In that respect, we have examined aerial photography going back over a number of decades to see where the coastline was, say, in the 1970s, where it was in 1990s, wherever records are available, and where it is now. From that we try to judge the rate at which coasts are being eroded and make a projection forward to 2050 and 2100 as to where the coastline might be and we designate areas in that context, in the same way as under the planning guidelines we have set out areas that would be at risk from river flooding. These would be areas at risk from coastal erosion, and avoiding development in those areas for the future would be the main thrust in that respect. It is based on what happened in the past and projections into the future. Obviously projecting into the future is fraught with uncertainty.