James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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100. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update on the allocation of funding to address coastal erosion in east Cork; if further funding is available for coastal erosion that is gradually getting worse near Youghal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10297/23]

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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I ask about coastal flooding and erosion. The Minister will be aware that east Cork is a coastal region, and the Minister of State recently visited on this matter. What plans do the Departments have to procure additional funding to bolster our coastal defences? Unfortunately, due to global warning and contributing factors, there is a declining level of protection of our local coastline. I know the Minister of State is aware because he has been down to visit with me and my constituency colleague in government, Deputy Stanton. What is the Department trying to do to solve these issues?

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which is of huge importance to our Department and the Government as a whole. The Government has established an interdepartmental group on managing coastal change to scope out an approach to the development of a national co-ordinated and integrated strategy to manage the projected impact of coastal change on our coastal communities, economies, heritage, culture, environment and the land. The inter-departmental group is jointly chaired by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the OPW, and will shortly bring forward options and recommendations to the Government for consideration.

The local authorities can carry out coastal protection works using their own resources. If necessary, they may put forward proposals to the relevant Departments for funding of appropriate measures or apply to, in my Department, the OPW under the minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme.

I am happy to advise the Deputy that, under this scheme, Cork County Council has been approved funding of €68,445 to undertake coastal protection repairs to the existing sea wall at Coastguard Cottages, Roche's Point in east Cork. Cork County Council procured and appointed a consultant and it is envisaged that the project will be constructed and completed in the second quarter of this year.

Two further applications submitted under this scheme by the council are currently under consideration by our Department. One application is to protect the access and cul-de-sac road to six houses near Whitegate, which I saw with the Deputy and Deputy Stanton. The council and the OPW are due to meet imminently to discuss the project with a view to progressing the application.

Cork County Council recently submitted an application for a coastal erosion risk management study. The proposed study area covers approximately 9.5 km of coastline from Youghal to Greenlands strand at Ring. This includes a specific area of concern, that is, access to Pilmore Cottages, Pilmore in Youghal. This study area also forms part of the OPW’s ongoing national pilot coastal monitoring survey programme and the OPW’s survey data will be used for that shortly.

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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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?

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Without getting in to the specifics of this issue, Deputies will have heard me say often that the single biggest threat to this country is from the sea. Coastal communities are living in the terrifying situation that we have witnessed in the past number of years where the Atlantic and the south seas unleash unbelievable, horrific amounts of energy on to communities. The damage it causes and the costs associated with that damage are getting worse. We know that. Some parts of the country with sandy soils are especially vulnerable, whereas other areas are well protected with strong rock. The Office of Public Works has the fund available. I do not know the specifics of the case the Deputy is raising, but we would certainly consider any application that is made under that scheme for the protection of properties on coasts. This House and local authorities will have to answer some very difficult questions in the not-too-distant future about the sustainment and management of our coastal communities into the future.

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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We are aware of that need. I wish to say words of support. All of us acknowledge the costings of the works that need to be done to get the coastline ready for what will happen in the next two or three decades are extraordinary. They are in the hundreds of millions, no doubt, and may be in the billions. We support the Minister of State and I hope his good colleague, the Minister, who is seated beside him, will be forthcoming in the upcoming budget to further support those works. The other issue that is important to reference is in the east Cork area. A number of farmers' agricultural land is under extraordinary risk on the western bank of the River Womanagh. I know the Minister of State went down to see that for himself, but if the bank bursts, several hundred acres will be put under water by the sea and it will threaten the village of Ballymacoda. We cannot allow this to occur, but there are statutory implications and problems we need to get around. The Department could look at this during the calendar year because I am quite concerned about it. The Minister of State and I saw a number of the weak points on the bank on the day we visited. If that bank bursts, the ramifications will be incredibly serious. It is important to put that on the record.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Officials from the OPW, with Cork County Council which is the lead agency for the protection of the bank, were present on the day. I know discussions are continuing. It would be disingenuous for me to say we will be able to protect every acre of land into the future. That is not possible. It is no accident that most people in this country live in coastal communities. It is a settlement strategy which goes back to the Vikings and even further back. Those communities will be in a very vulnerable situation for the next 50 to 100 years. I am not suggesting that the House or the Department plan for a five-year impact of climate change but we have to start looking at a 50- to 100-year impact. Unfortunately, there will be cases, and they are already happening, where we will see people out of their houses because of climate change. By grasping the nettle and dealing with that issue, the Oireachtas and society would do those communities a much greater service than pretending we can incrementally address problems as they come up because we cannot do so. I seek the support of all Deputies, in a non-confrontational way, to bring forward suggestions in that manner.