2026-01-22

146. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline his Department's support for local authorities to tackle coastal erosion. [4418/26]

What measures are in place for local authorities to address coastal erosion?

I thank Deputy Byrne for raising the important issue of coastal erosion. It is a matter he has raised on numerous occasions. My Department recognises the significant risks that coastal erosion and flooding present to our coastlines in the context of climate change. It is clear that climate change is presenting significant challenges, with many areas experiencing more frequent extreme weather events and changes in environmental conditions. Ireland is not immune from these challenges, including those associated with coastal erosion and flooding. Responding effectively to these challenges requires a co-ordinated, evidence-based and long-term approach. Our local authorities are responsible for managing coastal erosion within their own administrative areas. The Office of Public Works has the responsibility for all technical assessment, including monitoring and mapping coastal risks, supporting research, and funding local authorities to undertake coastal protection works. My Department collaborates with the OPW and relevant local authorities to support informed, consistent and sustainable responses to coastal erosion nationwide and provides policy leadership and co-ordination. Ireland's approach to coastal change management is guided by the work of the interdepartmental group on the national coastal change management strategy. This was established by the Government to support informed decision-making on how best to manage the coastline in light of future risks and planning needs. In October 2023, this group published a scoping report setting out 15 recommendations to inform the development of a national coastal change management strategy. These recommendations are intended to facilitate key decisions to address and manage the impacts of coastal change over the short, medium and long term. The recommendations are organised around three key areas: strengthening governance and capacity; improving understanding of coastal risks and identifying possible technical responses; and developing appropriate management approaches to coastal change. Progress on this work is being overseen by an interdepartmental steering group, which meets to advance the policy framework outlined in the report. The management of coastal change and the consideration of appropriate responses must take place within the context of the overall national policy framework and the respective roles of Departments, agencies and local authorities.

The Minister is very aware of the challenges of coastal erosion. I am fortunate to represent a constituency that has some of the finest beaches in the country, stretching from Brittas Bay in Wicklow down to Morriscastle in Wexford. The Minister knows the challenges many of those communities have faced. Our problem is that we have so many strategies being developed but all the time the coast is starting to disappear. For instance, €26 million has been spent by Irish Rail on protecting the Rosslare rail line in the last decade. While I welcome the fact that €500,000 has been allocated to protect the coast at Cahore, at a public meeting there recently, organised by Councillor Pip Breen, concern was expressed that it is not sufficient to address the threat to the coast in that area. The Minister will also be very much aware of the really big challenge that continues to exist in Courtown Harbour, particularly in the area north of the harbour. I hope he can highlight specific measures.

Deputy Byrne has done an awful lot of work on what we can do to tackle coastal erosion which is a result of climate change and the climate crisis that we are in. The current position is that the interventions are local authority led through funding by the OPW. A national strategy is being developed by the interdepartmental group. As the Deputy points out, a lot of different strategies are being worked on in different Departments. There is an environmental role, a housing role and a role for local authorities. What we are seeing now is erosion happening at an accelerated rate across the country. The time that may have been thought was there to develop the strategy has become foreshortened. I welcome the Deputy's focus on this because we need to really focus now on how we are going to manage this costal erosion around the country.

I thank the Deputy. Wicklow and Wexford county councils are taking this issue seriously. I love the beaches around my area but a lot of them are starting to disappear. It is not just a problem in counties Wicklow and Wexford. The Minister will be very familiar with the challenges around Courtown and the area to the north of that. Courtown is a legendary destination for many people but the beach has not really been there for many years. It is an issue regularly raised by Courtown community council and by the business community or park division for Courtown and Riverchapel. There is a long-standing plan to develop breakwaters and even the possibility of a marina in the long term in that area. Will Departments co-ordinate to work with Wexford County Council to deliver this? Equally, we need that national strategy so that we look at Brittas Bay, similarly, where parts of the dunes are falling into the sea. We need to protect all our costal communities.

I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. He is right. The Courtown and Riverchapel area is a good example of a wonderful community that is facing an awful lot. It is at the brunt of the changes as a result of our climate crisis and the impact that has on the local community. The current position is that it is the responsibility of the local authority with the OPW to carry out works, although these works tend to be of a smaller scale than dealing with the emergency facing the community. We have to develop that national strategy. We do have that interdepartmental group with the purpose of bringing those strategies together and it has 15 recommendations. However, I will be imploring those Departments to advance those recommendations now, a lot more quickly than might have previously been intended as a result of the foreshortening of the time that was believed to be there, to come up with the implementation of a strategy. Coastal erosion is now happening at a frightening pace.