Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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251. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will urgently request senior Office of Public Works engineers to assess the works that were recently undertaken to arrest coastal erosion at Spanish Point Beach, County Clare and to determine if further remedial works are required (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48318/22]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Coastal Erosion issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each Local Authority to investigate and address. All Local Authorities may carry out coastal erosion mitigation works, using either their own resources, or by applying for funding under the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme.

Under this scheme, applications are considered for projects that are estimated to cost not more than €750,000 in each instance. Funding of up to 90% of the cost is available for approved projects. Applications are assessed by the OPW having regard to the specific economic, social and environmental criteria of the scheme, including a cost benefit to cost ratio and having regard to the availability of funding for flood risk management. Full details of this scheme are available on www.floodinfo.ie/minor-works/

In 2020, Clare County Council was granted €225,000 of funding from the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme, to provide rock armour a 75 metre length of Spanish Point Beach and recent works have been carried out.

As the works at Spanish Point Beach are a matter for Clare County Council, if it determines that further works are required, the Council can apply for funding under the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme.