The status of the preparation of a national costal erosion strategy or plan

QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the preparation of a national coastal erosion strategy or plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

The Office of Public Works (OPW) is not responsible for the preparation of a national coastal erosion strategy or plan.

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. This Study assists Local Authorities (LA’s) to meet their statutory obligations in relation to coastal erosion and to develop appropriate plans and strategies for the sustainable management of the coastline in their counties.  

The LA’s may carry out coastal erosion works using their own resources. Where coastal erosion could give rise to a coastal flood risk, the OPW operates the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme, under which applications for funding from LA’s are considered for measures costing up to €750,000 in each instance. In that context, 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 Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme, available on the OPW website.

I will next week be announcing the Flood Risk Management Plans with the proposed measures to protect 90 coastal communities from their assessed flood risk, in the coming years. These Flood Risk Management Plans were developed through the OPW’s Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme.