Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2025
390. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the measures to address coastal erosion in Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73651/25]
View answerLocal coastal erosion issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each local authority to investigate and address. The OPW is working closely with Kerry County Council (KCC) to implement a number of initiatives to tackle coastal erosion in the county.
Minor Works Scheme
The Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme was introduced by the Office of Public Works (OPW) in 2009. The purpose of the scheme is to provide 90% funding to local authorities to undertake minor flood mitigation works or studies to address localised flooding or coastal erosion problems. The scheme generally applies where a solution can be readily identified and achieved in a short time frame. The funding available for each scheme has recently been increased from €750,000 to €2 million.
Since 2009, OPW has approved some 40 projects and €4.2m to Kerry County Council under the Minor Works Schemes. Some €2.9m of this approved funding relates to coastal erosion works and studies.
Kerry County Council has identified areas of soft coastline such as Rossbeigh/Inch, Banna/Ballyheigue and along the Maharees peninsula as being particularly vulnerable to coastal erosion. A Minor Works application for Maherabeg has been reviewed by the OPW and a request for further information from Kerry Co. Council will be reviewed once submitted.
Coastal Change Management
The Government recognises the risks associated with climate change and that increases in sea levels and storm surges will result in increased frequency of 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. These assessments will also help to develop a multi-annual programme of work to assess coastal risk nationally.
The OPW are currently working on the development of National Coastal Erosion Hazard Mapping and a Past Coastal Erosion Database to assist in identifying areas at potentially significant risk of coastal change.
The former will provide spatial mapping to identify coastal areas that may be exposed to coastal erosion in the future, the latter is a web-based platform which will allow members of the public to report coastal erosion observed in their locality.
Ballyheigue was included in the Pilot Coastal Monitoring Survey Programme (CMSP) which was a five year pilot project which ran from 2020 to 2024. Additionally the OPW completed an aerial imagery and LiDAR survey of the full Kerry coastline in 2021.
