Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and thank the Minister of State for bring here to respond to the Topical Issue.

In fairness, there are two things, in particular, in County Wexford, that we should focus on with regards to erosion. The first is prevention. As we all know, a stitch in time saves nine. In the context of coastal erosion, this phrase is particularly relevant. Proper investment in a coastal protection plan along the coastline in County Wexford is badly needed so that we do not have to deal with this aftermath of weather that leaves coastal areas in ruin. I note the headline on an article today in the local newspaper, "100km of Wexford's coast ar risk from rapid erosion". It is serious and frightening.

We probably have a little over 100 km of coast in the county of Wexford but all of it is at risk. I visited much of it with the director of services, that is, a senior official in Wexford County Council, Mr. Gerry Forde, alongside an Independent councillor, Mr. Pat Barden, probably three years ago. In particular, we visited Grange Beach in Fethard-on-Sea, after which money was granted to do a risk assessment and to ascertain the cost of repairs, but ultimately nothing has happened. I used to swim on that beach on a daily basis until it was closed because the road is at risk of collapse onto the beach.

What is disturbing, but not surprising, is that an individual, whose house is directly opposite where the road is about to collapse, dumped some much-needed debris in the form of concrete blocks on the beach because he had to take action himself to try to stop the erosion. Wexford County Council was able to issue a summons to that individual within three weeks of the dumping of the blocks but in three years, and in receipt of in excess of €100,000, it has not been able to do anything else. I do not understand it.

In the times that we are living, I am seeing so much money being wasted, in particular, by Wexford County Council. It comes down to no planning, either by Government in how it funds these measures, whether it be roads or coastal erosion. We are patching roads every day of the week and the rain just comes and washes them away. It is absolutely frivolous. Every day the same people ring up with pot hole issues, their cars damaged and NCT failures because we are putting money into a rainy day fund that could well be used for investment in our roads and our coast.

As a coastal county, we depend greatly on the 70 beaches that are in Wexford to bring tourism into the county. We have many other tourist attractions that are based on our coastline and our beaches. Apart from anything, we have Rosslare Europort, for instance, which will take significant development.

I have read also in this report in the newspaper that it will cost €200 million to have any impact whatsoever on that 100 km of coast and to do something for erosion. This is not just climate change. This has been going on.

My partner visited with the then Minister of State, Mr. Hugh Byrne, some 20 years ago when one particular part that we are discussing today was discussed. It is gone. It was washed away. Rosslare Strand, Kilmore, Grange, Fethard-on-Sea and Duncannon-----

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