Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have travelled around the country and I have seen a lot of coastal erosion. I have been in Portrane. I identified it as one of the priorities in terms of coastal erosion projects. It is one of the worst I have seen. I met local representative groups, those who are most affected, who are the people I want to protect, and I gave them a clear understanding of the position. One of my officials spoke to the people in one of those houses the night before last. I spoke to a great number of the residents who contacted me directly and I have given them a clear indication that my Department has written to Fingal County Council and also to the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. The solution is not simple.The local authorities are responsible. We did fund it in 2012. The Senator is correct that it has taken from 2012 until now, but I am giving a clear indication that the residents are happy to allow me go ahead and have that meeting to see if I can come to a resolution. If we can do something in Portrane, I believe it could be echoed around the entire coast of the country but we have to start thinking outside the box when it comes to coastal erosion. We cannot have an application going in and being examined and investigated by the planners who then say the proposal does not blend in with the area. I do not want that because we will never see anything done about coastal erosion. For the past 20 years, Governments have ignored the problem of coastal erosion. I am giving the Senator a firm commitment that I am not ignoring it because in 20 years from now I believe coastal erosion will be one of the biggest issues to hit this country. We will lose many properties to the sea if we do not act now.

I visited Scotland recently where I was told that 97 properties had fallen into the sea as a result of this problem. They are thinking the same way as me. I am with the Senator on this issue, but most of all I am with the people. I gave the people of Portrane, as well as Senator Reilly and his colleagues, a detailed response in terms of what I want to see happen in Portrane but I ask for space to allow me sit in the room with them to see if I can come up with a long-term solution for them. I am not saying my Department can deliver but I am saying that one Department is blaming the other. I want to put that to bed and see if a long-term solution can be found for the people of Portrane.