Lorraine Clifford Lee (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the Seanad. Following the recent snow event and Storm Emma the residents of Portrane are extremely upset and worried about the further coastal erosion in the area. There is a real risk now of many homes being flooded by the sea. If the Minister of State saw the news last night, he would have seen Grainne Hannigan talking about her home which is now in grave danger. Nothing real or practical has been done either by the Minister of State's Department or by Fingal County Council in many years and local residents are angry, frustrated and feel forgotten.

The Minister of State's predecessor, Deputy Canney, visited the area last year and saw at first hand the disastrous situation facing families in Portrane. He gave a commitment to fund the necessary works. I believe the Office of Public Works, OPW, operates a minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme under which applications for funding from local authorities are considered for measures up to €750,000 in each instance. Funding is also available for coastal erosion risk management studies. The funding is made available for areas identified as being at greatest risk of damage or loss of economic assets through coastal erosion or flooding.

I know that Fingal County Council applied for and received funding of €57,800 under the scheme in 2012 to carry out a coastal erosion risk management study of the coast from Portrane up to Rush. However, none of the coastal protection measures assessed and recommended was implemented due to "a combination of negative cost benefit ratio analysis and environment constraints". I believe no additional funding has been sought by Fingal County Council to put any measures in place in Portrane. Perhaps the Minister of State could confirm whether Fingal County Council has made contact with his Department in recent days considering the extent of the damage in Portrane since Storm Emma and the recent snow event took place. Their impact has been very dramatic and if the Minister of State saw the news last night he would understand how dramatic it has been. If he did not see it, I would urge him to contact Mr. Paul Reid, the chief executive office of Fingal County Council, and ask him and his officials to prepare a report on Portrane as a matter of urgency.

The former Minister of State, Deputy Canney, said last year that the funding is there. Homes and even lives are at risk now. The current Minister of State's Department and Fingal County Council need to get the finger out at this stage and help the people of Portrane.They desperately need it. Action is required at this point not words. They have heard enough over the years. I urge the Minister of State to do something for the people of Portrane.