Manus Boyle (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for coming to answer this Commencement matter. When I was canvassing in 2024, I came across houseowners in the village of Inver in County Donegal, which is badly affected by coastal erosion. Since then, I have been working hard on it with the homeowners. A few days after Bridge Street in Killybegs flooded - the Minister of State might have seen it on the television as it went national - the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, visited Killybegs and, at my request, he also went to Inver village to see first-hand what was happening there with coastal erosion. On that day, the Minister of State met Donegal County Council engineers, homeowners and the OPW on the site.

I am asking about the minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme and particularly the delays in Inver, County Donegal. Despite an allocation of €45,000 in April 2025, no work has started. It was proposed to install rock armour along the face to help to keep the pressure off the gabion baskets, which have been there for more than 40 years. They have done a great job, but need to be reinforced. Given the urgency of the situation for homeowners, I am seeking clarification from the Minister of State about the reason for the delay. What steps is the Department taking to ensure the timely delivery of this project? This is a matter of urgency and concern for the people in the houses when a storm is forecast. When I was there, there were waves going 5 m over the thing and there are children in one of the houses. The work needs to start as soon as possible. Every week we delay, there is more erosion. I hope the Minister of State has brought some good news about when the work will start and finish.

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South-West, Fianna Fail)
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I am not 100% sure my answer will give the Senator the comfort he is looking for, but I am glad he raised the matter, because coastal erosion along the whole west coast, including the south-west and north-west coasts, is a big issue. It is coming down the road like a train and we will have to invest more and more in it to protect communities. I hope that the fact gabion baskets are already in place and there is some form of coastal protection will make it more straightforward from foreshore and statutory requirement points of view. I will go through the response from the Department, which might clarify who is responsible for what.

Coastal erosion and localised flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each local authority to investigate and address. Local authorities can undertake these works within their own resources. In 2009, the Office of Public Works introduced the minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme. The purpose of the scheme is to provide 90% funding to local authorities to undertake studies, coastal erosion or minor flood mitigation works in their administrative areas. The minor works scheme generally applies where a solution can be readily identified and achieved in a short timeframe and the costs do not exceed €750,000. From the way Senator Boyle described this, I doubt they would exceed that amount, but we will leave that to the experts.

Applications under the scheme are assessed by the OPW, having regard to the specific economic, technical, social and environmental criteria set for this scheme. To be approved for funding under this scheme, the benefits from the works must exceed their associated costs. To date nationally, the OPW has approved over €70 million for more than 900 unique local flood relief and coastal projects that are providing benefits to some 8,000 properties. Since 2009, the OPW has approved some €2.4 million in funding for Donegal County Council for some 45 projects. As part of this, €112,500 has been approved for coastal erosion works in Inver, through four separate applications by Donegal County Council.

Under the minor works scheme, it is the responsibility of the local authority to advance the works once they have been approved by the OPW. This includes all environmental assessments, planning consents, health and safety requirements and landowner agreements. The most recent funding approval of €45,000 for Inver, which the Senator mentioned, was announced in April this year by my colleague, Deputy Moran, who is the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works. This funding was for Donegal County Council to construct a row of rock armour along a line of existing gabion baskets to provide protection from further damage. I understand the council is continuing to engage with landowners to be in a position to commence these works. While the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, has recently announced revisions to this minor works scheme, these revisions do not change the approvals of funding for Donegal County Council for previously approved works at Inver. I understand he will be setting out the details of the revisions to this scheme over the coming weeks.

The Government recognises the risks associated with climate change and that increases in sea levels and storm damage will result in increased frequency of coastal erosion.In response to these challenges, the recommendations outlined in the report of the interdepartmental group on national coastal change management strategy are being implemented.

The allocation has been made from the OPW. From the response I have just read out, it seems it is now down to the local authority to proceed with putting in the rock armour to protect those gabion baskets that are already there. That is quite clear in the response. I am not sure whether there is a further role for the OPW in this. Perhaps there is and I would have no problem going to the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, and asking him to engage with Donegal County Council to ask about where matters stand and the reason for the hold-up. The response mentioned engagement with landowners. I would assume all landowners in that area would very much welcome this development. There is an onus on Donegal County Council to ramp up the speed at which it delivers this, since the funding is there.

Manus Boyle (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his answer. There is an onus on the OPW and Donegal County Council to get things moving. It is a massive issue in Donegal. This is only the tip of the iceberg. These people's houses in Inver are within five metres of their gardens going into the sea. It is important we get moving on it. A stitch in time saves a lot of money. We should put in the rock armour now and get it done before there are any more storms. That will give the people in the houses reassurance. The children in the houses will know that, when they go to bed at night. their gardens will not be gone in the morning. I went there after, I believe, Storm Éowyn. I saw the waves cracking in and the water coming onto the windows of the houses. It was scary. Donegal County Council and the OPW really need to get moving on this. Hopefully, when the Minister of State goes back to the other Minister of State, the latter will make a call to Donegal County Council to find out what is going on and whether we can push it on.

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South-West, Fianna Fail)
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It is a gorgeous piece of coastline. I know it well. It is stunning but very exposed to the west and it gets those big swells coming in. As I said, there are more frequent storms. To the credit of Donegal County Council, it has applied for 45 projects, worth approximately €2.4 million, under this scheme. It has been quite active in that space. It will have to be because the area is so exposed. The money is there from the point of view of the OPW. There is an onus on the council to crack on and get this delivered. There are always challenges for a local authority in delivering projects. However, I will speak to the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, and ask him to reach out to the chief executive in regard to this situation and find out what the delay is. I can imagine the fear and anxiety on the part of the residents.