Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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353. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the OPW have been tasked with identifying a site for a Garda station in the Castletroy and Annacotty area of Limerick; if so, when the process commenced; the length of time the process is likely to take; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8004/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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A new Garda station for the Castletroy and Annacotty area of Limerick is a priority for both An Garda Síochána and the Office of Public Works, and both organisations have been working closely together to realise this goal. AGS have drafted a preliminary Business Case for a new Station and this was received by the OPW late last year. The OPW has completed a market trawl for suitable sites in the area.

We are currently engaging with AGS on the results of this market trawl.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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354. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the Office of Public Works has any centralised or devolved work schemes that could potentially install rock armour and other forms of coastal erosion defence to protect a row of private dwellings in County Clare (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8122/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Coastal protection and localised flooding issues are matters, in the first instance, for each local authority to investigate and address.

The Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme was introduced by the OPW on an administrative, non-statutory basis in 2009. The purpose of the scheme is to provide funding to local authorities to undertake minor flood mitigation works or studies to address localised flooding and coastal protection problems within their administrative areas. Applications for funding from local authorities for measures or studies costing up to €750,000 can be made under this scheme. Funding of up to 90% of the total cost is available, subject to meeting specific economic, technical, social, and environmental criteria.

Since 2009, the OPW has approved funding under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme of approximately €3.8 million to County Clare for some 41 projects. This includes approved funding of approximately €1 million for coastal erosion related studies or projects in County Clare, including projects at Quilty and Miltown Malbay. Projects subject to approved funding are the responsibility of the relevant local authority to advance.

The Government recognises the risks associated with climate change and that increases in sea levels and storm surges will result in more frequent coastal erosion. In response to these challenges, the recommendations outlined in the Report of the Interdepartmental Group on National Coastal Change Management Strategy are being implemented. Amongst the key recommendations of the Report is the assignment of the lead coordination role to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which is responsible for chairing an Interdepartmental Steering Group on Coastal Change Management.

The OPW has been designated by Government as the national lead coordinating body for the assessment of coastal change hazards and risks and the assessment of technical options and constraints. These assessments will build upon indicative assessment work previously undertaken by the OPW under the Irish Coastal Protection Strategy Study and comprise a substantial, multi-annual programme of work to assess coastal risk nationally, and then in detail at higher-risk locations as a basis for then determining potential viable works to manage this risk. This work is ongoing and will contribute to the work of the Interdepartmental Steering Group on Coastal Change.