Brendan Ryan (Dublin North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Today we awoke to news of a status red wind warning for Counties Cork and Kerry, with weather systems bashing the coasts throughout the morning and into this afternoon. The past two months have been incessant for so many communities around the country. In my own constituency we have seen severe flooding in Portmarnock, Malahide and Swords as well as spot flooding in almost every other town. One major issue which has reached a critical level is the threat to the Burrow residents in Portrane, the natural coastal defences of which are being eroded by high tides and strong winds, threatening severe flooding of many homes and businesses in the area. Without the protection of the dunes, any flooding which takes place could be irrevocable.

As a native of Portrane, I share the residents' their daily concern as they watch their natural coastal defences disappear and high tides and wind-driven waves threaten their homes and businesses. The outlook is stark for entire communities, such as the Burrow in Portrane, unless we invest in long-term protection measures. The threat to the Burrow, Portrane, reached critical level in October 2012 after a particularly bad storm swept metres of dunes into the sea. Fingal County Council officials argue that erosion in Portrane is cyclical and part of an ongoing erosion and secretion pattern along the North County Dublin coast.

The residents who live in the borough of Portrane and know the sea, the tides and the patterns have never witnessed so much destruction and such a threat to their homes. In their view this is not cyclical but rather permanent damage and it must be tackled now. These residents have had to take matters into their own hands. They built their own temporary flood defences using two-tonne canvas bags filled with sand from their beach. They have been maintaining this defence for over a year but they are concerned that this is only a finger-in-the-dam measure. When the next vicious storm and high tide hit the peninsula they will be at the mercy of the sea again.

We need solutions and we all understand that solutions cost money. However, we are not talking about wasted money but investing in the protection of entire communities, homes, businesses and real people. Different solutions will be required for different areas throughout the country but, where possible, I believe it is vital that communities are consulted on proposed solutions. Communities such as the borough of Portrane have a deep knowledge of their areas and how nature affects their homes and environment. Their insights will be invaluable to local authorities and Government agencies. I imagine Members could attest to the knowledge of similar communities in their areas. Can a commitment be made that any solution proposed is not foisted upon any community without prior consultation? I welcome the fact that Fingal County Council is due to submit a proposal for funding for a solution for Portrane and I urge the Minister of State to support and approve it.

We need to publish the climate action and low-carbon development Bill which is currently on the C list and due for publication at some stage this year. We need to recommit to a national climate change strategy and we should do so immediately. We need to plan for changing weather patterns and climate change before it is too late.

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