Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his observations and advice. I will outline some of the benefits to our community which will accrue from the implementation of this proposal. They are multiple and include the following: reducing or eliminating the imminent tidal flood risk danger to several thousand residential and business premises in Dundalk town and its hinterland, particularly those with floor-levels at or below 4 m ODM - 4 metres Ordinance Datum Malin Head; reducing or eliminating the danger to this internationally significant feeding and roosting habitat of migratory and native birds and fowl, which is the beneficiary of the protection which is afforded by the EU designation of the Marsh South section of Dundalk Bay as a Natura 2000 special protection area, from trespass onto the inter-tidal salt marsh by persons who engage in anti-social behaviour, hunters, dogs and so forth; contributing significantly to the implementation of the national anti-obesity strategy; furthering the Slí na Sláinte campaign by the Irish Heart Foundation; endorsing the necessity to continue to strive to secure the alternative transportation objectives which have been the policy of every Government for over 20 years by continuing to extend our growing network of cycle ways and walk ways; recognising the desirability of providing the people of Dundalk and the wider north-east region with access as of right by ownership, instead of by way of tolerated trespass on private property, to the wonderful ambience of this 4 km section of the Dundalk Bay coastline; catalysing the provision of similar public and tourism recreational and flood risk mitigation infrastructure on the northern Castletown River bank, the Flurry Estuary banks, the Dundalk Bay SPA's northern shores and the Dundalk-Greenore railway rail track bed; and addressing the need to continue to enhance and develop our tourism product, particularly for the cycling and walking fraternity which is widely and validly acknowledged as a long-staying, high-spending segment of our tourist profile.

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