Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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114. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department has any record of involvement in a project (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47529/13]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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The management of coastal erosion in any particular area is a matter for the relevant local authority concerned in the first instance.

Our records show that in June 2006 the Office of Public Works wrote to Coiste Forbartha na Sceilge confirming that Ballinskellig Castle was not a national monument in State ownership or care and that the OPW did not have any responsibility for its maintenance. In June 2009 the then Chairman of the OPW in reply to representations from the then Ceann Comhairle, Mr John O'Donoghue, indicated that the OPW had no record of a submission from Kerry County Council in relation to the Castle and that the OPW was writing to all Councils including Kerry County Council asking them to identify their priorities in relation to coastal protection works. To date the OPW has not received an application for funding from Kerry County Council for coastal protection works at this location.

It is open to the Council to submit such an application under the OPW's Minor Works & Coastal Protection Scheme, if the Council considers it a priority to do so. Any application received will be assessed under the eligibility criteria for coastal protection measures, including a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial, and having regard to the overall availability of funding. Application forms and related guidelines are available on the OPW website under Flood Risk Management.