David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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81. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to the visit of the Office of Public Works, OPW, Minister to Pilmore, Youghal and the Womanagh River, Ballymacoda, County Cork in November 2022, the actions taken by his Department since to address issues in both areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19866/24]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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In November 2022, the then Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Deputy O'Donovan, visited Pilmore, Youghal and the Womanagh river on my invitation. Many other officials from the council and OPW attended on the same day and saw the risks to property, houses, land, roads and so on due to possible flooding. I would like to know what has happened in the meantime.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Stanton very much. I am aware of his continuing campaigning interest in this particular issue.

Under the OPW's minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme, the OPW provides 90% funding for localised flooding and coastal protection measures undertaken by a local authority. To date, five projects have been approved for a total of €245,892 for Youghal, for both coastal and flooding issues at Pilmore and Gortroe, including for repair of sluice gates and deepening of drains, of which four projects are now complete.

In 2021, under the minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme, the OPW approved €34,392 to Cork County Council for the repair and replacement of a tidal sluice gate and associated works at Pilmore, Youghal. The drainage and sluice at Pilmore were not functioning adequately and, therefore, properties and agricultural land were at risk from flooding during very high tides. These works were successfully completed in September 2023.

The OPW also approved a minor works scheme application for Pilmore Cottages in June 2023 for funding of €121,500 to complete a coastal erosion risk management study. The study area includes the shoreline adjacent to PiImore Cottages and extends from Youghal to Ring on County Cork's coastline. Cork County Council has since appointed consultants to conduct this study, who have prepared an inception report that is currently under review by OPW.

The Womanagh river does not form part of an arterial drainage scheme under the Arterial Drainage Acts of 1945 and 1995. Therefore, the OPW has no responsibility for the maintenance of the river. Stretches of the Womanagh river that form the Womanagh drainage district are the responsibility of Cork County Council to maintain. From 2007 to 2012, the OPW assisted on a pilot basis with embankment repair works for a length of the embankment downstream of Crompaun Bridge, on the west side of the river, at an estimated cost of approximately €275,000. The OPW does not maintain these embankments as they are Land Commission embankments.

With regard to Ballymacoda Village, the OPW contacted Cork County Council and understands the council has no further works planned on the Womanagh river at the present time.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his response. Can he tell me when he expects this study in Pilmore to be completed? Unfortunately, the tide and sea and flooding do not wait for studies to be completed. The erosion and risk of flooding to the houses there has increased recently. We have the study to go forward. What happens next? Do we need planning of some sort to do works? I am very concerned about this particular area and the houses that are at risk from flooding in that spot.

The Minister also mentioned the Womanagh river and the Land Commission. Who has responsibility for the banks of rivers? It was the Land Commission, which is no longer in existence. If that river breaks its banks, it could flood an awful lot of property and land and even Ballymacoda Village itself could be under pressure. When we tie that in with sea level rise, which we are all told by the eminent scientists is going to happen, the Minister will understand why I am concerned about this particular very low-lying area. I am not sure whether the Government has any long-term plan to deal with sea level rise as an issue nationally.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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To give the Deputy an update on the Pilmore Cottages erosion issues, following the visit to the site in 2022 by the then Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Deputy O'Donovan, Cork County Council applied for funding under the minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme to carry out a coastal erosion and risk management study.

The core study area covers approximately 9.5 km of coastline from Youghal to Greenlands Strand or Ring Strand. This includes the specific area of concern and access to Pilmore Cottages. The study also forms part of the OPW's ongoing national pilot coastal monitoring survey programme. The OPW's survey data will be used within the study. The application was approved by the OPW with Cork County Council engaging with the study. I will follow up to get a precise date for when that study will be complete.

The Deputy's second question was in respect of the Land Commission embankments. I will have to check that point. It does not fall under the remit of the OPW. I will go back to Cork County Council and get the Deputy a definitive answer on that.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for that. I will again emphasise the fact that sea erosion and so on does not wait for studies. We are great in this country for having a study, but I do not think a study is needed. If you walk the actual beach, you can see what is needed; it needs protection. It needs an embankment to be put in place. We spend much time appointing consultants at huge expense to carry out studies when we know what the answer is before they start. Anyway, these studies should not take that long to complete. What do we tell the householders if their houses are flooded from the sea? The Minister of State might also reflect on the longer term issue of sea level rise, which also has an impact on both cases I mentioned this morning.

I welcome and look forward to receiving communication from his office with respect to what happens to the former Land Commission banks. The Land Commission was a State agency. It had responsibility for river embankments. It is now no longer in existence. There is no money left to do the repair work that it did. I am told it is up to the landowners to do it. I do not think that is fair. I ask the Minister of State and Government to look at this again. Maybe the State should have a role in this.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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Deputy Stanton's point is well made. There is a specific study on the way on Pilmore. The question is about how we can get that completed as quickly as possible, while ensuring the study itself is robust and stands up. That is number one.

Work is ongoing. The OPW is carrying out a pilot coastal monitoring survey programme. Between the Department of housing and our Department, we are looking at the overall issue of coastal erosion. I will revert to the Deputy definitively on the Land Commission aspect.