Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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228. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the rate of erosion from flooding for 2015; the body responsible for flood defences at a location (details supplied) in Dublin 13; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42762/15]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The management of problems of coastal protection in the particular area indicated is a matter for Fingal County Council in the first instance. The Council must assess the problem and, if it is considered that specific measures and works are required, it is open to them to apply for funding under the Office of Public Works' (OPW) Minor Flood Mitigation Works & Coastal Protection Scheme. Any application received will be assessed under the eligibility criteria, which include a requirement that any measures are cost beneficial, and having regard to the overall availability of funding.

Fingal County Council applied for and was approved funding of €57,800 under this scheme in 2012 to carry out a Coastal Erosion Risk Management Study of Portrane to Rush which included Burrow Beach. The funding was drawn down in 2013 following completion of the study.

Following the severe storms of Winter 2013/2014 total funding of €200,000 was provided via the Vote of the OPW to Fingal County Council following a Government decision for repair works to damaged coastal protection infrastructure, which included projects at Burrow Beach.

No applications have been received for a project at Claremont beach.

It is a matter for the local authority to prioritise and progress works.

The OPW is currently undertaking a national public consultation on draft flood maps until 23rd December, 2015. Draft maps are available to view online at or in the books of maps located at local authority principal offices. These are predictive draft flood maps in accordance with the requirement of the EU Floods Directive 2007 (2007/60/EC) and show risk from fluvial (river) and coastal flooding. They assume that the topography of the shoreline is constant and do not make allowances for erosion.

The OPW has undertaken a national assessment of coastal erosion (including erosion rates) under the Irish Coastal Protection Strategy Study (ICPSS) and the results of this study have been published on the OPW website. The relevant reports and associated predictive erosion hazard mapping (to 2050) may be viewed online at:

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