Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach. I am absolutely delighted the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, has come to the House to deal with this Commencement matter. The history of the issue goes back to 2014, when practically all of the west coast of Ireland was battered on 4 and 6 January and significant coastal damage was done by the Atlantic Ocean. The houses of many people were flooded and businesses were damaged. I am delighted to say much work has been done on coastal protection, certainly in County Clare, since this happened. A total of €5 million has already been spent on rock armour and essential coastal protection works in Lahinch. Another €2 million or €3 million is being spent as we speak and the contracts were signed last week. This is a significant investment in Lahinch. Other parts of County Clare have also had significant coastal protection works carried out. The international hotel in Doonbeg has made a planning application that is with An Bord Pleanála to invest millions of euro in rock armour.

I am concerned about a particular part of the coastline at Spanish Point. It is a particularly vulnerable area where rock armour and coastal protection works are not adequate. The residents have done a significant amount of work on the streetscape and amenities near the beach with regard to making it visibly attractive for people who live there all year round and, equally importantly, for the people who visit. There is concern about the ongoing delays in approval of the minor works programme necessary for the local authority to get on with the work that must be done to put in place the necessary coastal protections.

I am raising the issue in the hope the response from the Minister of State will allay these concerns and we might get a specific timeline on when the work will start and, equally importantly, when the work will be completed.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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I thank the Senator for raising the matter and I am pleased to provide an update. The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government has overall responsibility for Government policy on coastal strategy.Local authorities lead on identifying works to protect the coast in their respective areas. The primary objective of Government policy on coastal protection is to ensure that, in areas identified as being at greatest risk of damage or loss of economic assets through coastal flooding, appropriate and sustainable measures are identified by local authorities to protect those assets. Where defence measures are economically justified and compatible with all required environmental and other statutory requirements, they can be implemented subject to the availability of resources.

The Government decided, on 11 February 2014, to make available up to €69.5 million, based on estimates provided by the local authorities concerned, for a programme of repair and remediation works to roads, coastal protection and flood defence and other public infrastructure damaged in the storms from 13 December 2013 to 6 January 2014. Of the total amount made available, up to €19. 6 million was provided via the Office of Public Works for the repair of damaged coastal protection and flood defence infrastructure. Based on the estimates submitted by local authorities to the then Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, that Department contacted all affected local authorities indicating the amounts being made available to the councils to undertake the necessary repairs works. This included the amounts available via the OPW in respect of the cost of repairs to damaged coastal protection and flood defence infrastructure in the country.

The amount made available to Clare County Council for coastal protection repair works was €9,712,385. Clare County Council submitted to the OPW a programme of works based on its allocation of €9,712,385, and this included repair works at Spanish Point, County Clare. Further to that, my office, through the minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme, provides a funding mechanism to support works to protect coastal communities, particularly those at risk from flooding. In this regard, the OPW minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme provides funding to local authorities to undertake minor flood mitigation, coastal protection works or studies costing less than €750,000 each to address localised flooding and coastal protection problems within their administrative areas. In 2015, Clare County Council received funding of €65,000 from the OPW under this scheme for a coastal erosion and risk management study from Quilty to Miltown Malbay, which produced recommendations for works at Spanish Point, County Clare. In September 2018, on foot of those recommendations, Clare County Council made an application to the OPW for funding for the provision of rock armour to protect against cliff erosion caused by waves and tides at Spanish Point. This application is currently under consideration. As soon as a decision is made on this application, this will issue to the council.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for a comprehensive reply. The key question is when a decision on the application will be made. I have no doubt that it will be positive but I would like a timeline for the decision, because it has been with the Department since well before Christmas. I am not sure how long these things take but I would like the Minister of State to give us an idea.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The Senator has raised this with matter me a number of times and I have given it considerable attention in order to deliver the project. I know what Spanish Point means, not just for tourism but for people who live there and who need to be protected in their homes and villages. I assure the Senator that everything is being done by my office and the local authorities to deliver on this as soon as we can. Things need to happen to meet the criteria and we are accelerating our work to get delivery as quickly as possible.