James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response, particularly in regard to the items on the agenda on the day he visited. It is great that they have been followed up. Notwithstanding that information, there is a broader context to this, which is that the Minister of State needs to be funded in the work he does. All who represent coastal communities or areas with flooding issues due to rivers know those works are extraordinarily expensive.

There are a couple of issues I would love to reference on the floor of the Dáil to give the Department a heads-up. Youghal town is lucky to have such beautiful scenery and beaches but, particularly along the front strand, there are serious problems with the hydrophonic wall. That protects a number of residences along the coastal section of road on the front strand.

My sincere worry about that is that hydrophonic walls cost extraordinary amounts of money to replace. It costs hundreds of thousands to do sections of them. Is there any scheme the local authority could apply for to fund hydrophonic coastal protection and hydrophonic walls, as they are expensive?

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