Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

144. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the funding which will be made available to local authorities in 2017 to prepare comprehensive coastal protection studies; the number of individual projects nationwide this funding would cover; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26472/17]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 erosion, appropriate and sustainable measures are identified by Local Authorities to protect those assets and, where such measures are economically justified on cost benefit grounds and compatible with all required environmental and other statutory requirements, they are implemented subject to the availability of resources.

The OPW has surveyed and assessed the coastal erosion risk along the entire national coastline, as part of the Irish Coastal Protection Strategy Study (ICPSS), and thisinformation is published (on the OPW website) and available to all Local Authorities. This Study enables Local Authorities to develop appropriate plans and strategies for the sustainable management of the coastline in their counties, including the identification, prioritisation and, subject to the availability of resources, the implementation of coastal protection works both of a structural and non-structural nature.

The Local Authorities may carry out coastal protection works using their own resources. If necessary, they may also put forward proposals to the relevant central Government Departments for funding of appropriate measures depending on the infrastructure or assets under threat.

Because intervention within a coastal area may cause problems further along the coast, any proposed intervention measures are best developed in conjunction with a formal coastal erosion risk management study that has carefully investigated the problem and explored the full range of management options.

The OPW operates the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme, under which applications for funding from local authorities are considered for measures costing up to €500,000 in each instance. Funding for coastal erosion risk management studies may also be applied for under this scheme. Funding of up to 90% of the cost is available for projects which meet the eligibility criteria including a requirement that the proposed measures are cost beneficial. The OPW has published guidelines for coastal erosion risk management measures and funding applications under the Minor Works Scheme, available on the OPW website. Any applications received will be considered in accordance with the overall availability of resources for flood risk management and the scheme's eligibility criteria available on the OPW website.

It is not possible to say how much funding will be made available in 2017 under the Scheme for coastal protection studies or how many studies will be funded. To date in 2017 1 application has been received from local authorities for coastal erosion risk management studies seeking total funding of €30,000.