Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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336. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the legislation that exists to date to compensate householders whose home property is lost due to coast erosion, climate change; if there is existing legislation in place, his views on whether such legislation is necessary and should be prioritised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43952/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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My primary role in such matters is the oversight of forward planning legislation and as the competent authority for Marine Spatial Planning that incorporates and integrates marine policies developed across Government, including coastal erosion.

Responsibility for coastal erosion rests with the Office of Public Works, who has functional responsibility for the operation of the Coast Protection Act 1963 and is the national authority for the implementation of the EU Directive on the Assessment and Management of Flood Risks [2007/60/EC].  My colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is responsible for the OPW.

Jointly with the OPW, my Department is chairing the National Coastal Change Management Strategy Steering Group which has been established to prepare an initial scoping exercise to examine how best to approach the development of an integrated, whole of Government coastal change management strategy.   This group will report to Government with its initial findings and recommendations as soon as possible.