Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy Pringle has waited with great patience.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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With great patience. I thought the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, came in especially to take my matter. I did not realise it was Deputy Durkan's matter that got him in here.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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That was the clincher.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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I hope I will get a response as well.

This matter relates to an issue in respect of which the Minister of State has answered questions from me previously. It is important to acknowledge that. It relates to coastal erosion that is taking place between Inver village and Fanaghans. It is mostly on private property, although in some areas it appears to alternate between private and public property.

Inver is a community that has an affinity with the sea. The community is located adjacent to Inver Bay. There is a long history of fishing there. Substantial coastal erosion works have been carried out in the general area in the past by the Department and by Donegal County Council. There is a long stretch of bay. It is probably about a mile long. It has been worked on the whole way back. This part of the bay has been done, but a lot more protection works were done further out. Work is needed to protect three houses. Currently, the gardens of these houses are being undermined as a result of erosion. In time, the houses will come under pressure. I hope that will not happen.

It is also important to point out that some of the problems have arisen on foot of work that was carried out in recent years. That work had the effect of moving the action of the waves further down to where it is now having an impact on the properties. As the coast has been protected further out, the impact of the waves is now concentrated in the area to which I refer and that is causing additional damage.

In fairness, the OPW has allocated money in order that matters might be assessed, but the difficulty is that it has indicated that Donegal County Council, if it accepts this funding, will be responsible for any future works required. That is the crux of the problem. Under the minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme, money was made available to Donegal County Council in 2016 and 2020 to carry out works in this area to protect the sea walls. Understandably, the council does not want to take responsibility for this area of land in the future without at least the provision of money to maintain it. As the area is not public property, it does not want to have ongoing maintenance issues in respect of it. Donegal County Council cannot afford to carry out the work it has on hand at the moment, never mind taking on additional work. It is important to note that there is a public path over this land that is used widely by people in the area. This path is also being undermined by coastal erosion. As a result, there is a public element to the work. It does not relate only to private property. I urge the OPW to take into consideration that the land is actually a public amenity.

The residents who are affected need the coastal erosion works to be carried out in order that their houses will be protected. The council and the OPW can fight about responsibility for future funding. If the work is carried out properly, there may not be a need for any future funding. The council has argued that it carried out works previously on a goodwill basis in 2019 in response to appeals from local residents. It does not want to take sole responsibility for this work into the future simply because it does not have the means to raise the money to carry them out. To a certain extent, that is reasonable because it has difficulty getting money for works anyway. The OPW has a responsibility to protect the coastline and to deal with the consequences of coastal erosion, so would be natural for it to continue to provide the funding to allow the council to carry out the necessary works to ensure that the place is protected.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Pringle for raising this issue. I am very aware that the risk of coastal erosion has a significant impact on communities. In the first instance, coastal protection and localised flooding are matters for each local authority to investigate and address. The OPW provides support to local authorities through the minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme, which has been in operation since 2009. The scheme provides funding to local authorities to undertake minor 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.

Under the minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme the local authority is responsible for identifying and securing all necessary statutory, planning, landowner and any other relevant consents or permissions required. The commencement and progression of any works for which funding is approved is also a matter for each local authority. Since 2009, the OPW has approved funding under the minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme for 13 projects in County Donegal, relating to coastal works and studies amounting to approved funding of €674,300.

On the Deputy's specific query about Inver, in 2016 the OPW approved funding of €36,000 under this scheme for Donegal County Council to use for the installation of rock armour to protect the existing falling sea wall at Inver. The council accepted this funding and €34,889 was drawn down. In 2020, the OPW approved funding of €18,000 for Donegal County Council for rock armour along the lines of the existing gabions at Inver in order to protect the latter from further damage. Progression of these works is a matter for Donegal County Council. In his next contribution, the Deputy might flesh out the issues Donegal County Council has. I could then, perhaps, follow up with my officials in the Department.

The OPW is close to finalising a review of the minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme. One of the issues under consideration as part of that review is the possibility of funding the maintenance of works carried out under the scheme.

The Government recognises the risk associated with climate change. The Climate Action Plan 2021 notes that increases in sea levels and storm surges will result in increasing frequency of coastal flooding and erosion. In response to these challenges, the Government has established an interdepartmental steering group on coastal change management to develop a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach to the challenge of coastal change through the implementation of the recommendations in the report of the interdepartmental group on the national coastal change management strategy.

The Deputy might expand on what he said earlier in order that I can follow up by arranging a meeting between Donegal County Council and the officials.

The minor works scheme allows local authorities to apply for funding that is approved by the OPW. There are obviously technical aspects to it. The local authority then carries out the works. Perhaps Deputy Pringle would flesh out the matter a bit more, in a practical sense.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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The crux of the problem is that Donegal County Council says that if it does this work that is funded by the OPW, it will have to maintain it in the future and the responsibility will be on it to do that. It says it will not do that for private property, as private land is affected too. There is a public walkway across the land, which has been concreted by the council to facilitate the public. The landowners have no problem with that at all, but if it is the case that it is left to them to maintain and protect this land, they are going to have to close the walkway. If that happens, I do not think it would be of any benefit to the community or anybody else either. Basically, the local road engineers say they could carry out the works but they do not want to be responsible for it in the future if more work needs to be done.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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Is that because it is on private land?

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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Yes.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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What if it was on public land?

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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If it was on public land, I think that would not be a problem. The council claims that because it is on private land, the issue it has is that it would then be stuck with it. I do not know if that means it could in future apply to the OPW for additional funding if works were needed. From what the engineers say to us and the landowners, they are not going to take ongoing responsibility for this land in the future. That is really the crux of the problem because, apparently, the money is there, which is welcome, but there is no mechanism to make sure it is spent.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The commencement and progression of the minor works scheme at Inver, County Donegal, for which funding has been approved, is a matter for Donegal County Council. The money has been approved. I will ask the OPW officials to engage with Donegal County Council to see if there is any misunderstanding.

The Government is developing a whole-of-government approach to the challenge of coastal change. Among the key recommendations of a report from the interdepartmental group on national coastal change management is the assignment of the lead co-ordination role to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to promote a joined-up, whole-of-government response to coastal change between all relevant Departments, having regard to their existing policy remits.

The Department's steering group, chaired by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, has met on three occasions since 28 March 2024 and will meet again on 19 November 2024. The OPW has been designated by the Government as the national lead co-ordinating body for the assessment of the coastal change hazards and risk, 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, which comprises a substantial multi-annual programme of work to, first, address coastal risk nationally and then to look in detail at high-risk locations as the basis for determining potential viable work to manage this risk. The work will contribute to the work of the interdepartmental steering group on coastal change.

An application was made and funding was provided. Under the minor works scheme, it is the responsibility of the local authority to carry out the work. Deputy Pringle's constituency colleague, Deputy McHugh, has raised this with me on numerous occasions. In the spirit of co-operation, he has requested that I follow up with the officials and communicate with the local authority. I will do that, and we will see what comes of it.