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.
The Report of the Inter-Departmental Group on
National Coastal Change Management Strategy, published in 2023,
put in place a road map for responding to these challenges in a structured and planned way to provide the basis for a long-term strategy for an integrated and co-ordinated approach to coastal change management. The report sets out 15 recommendations to address and manage the impacts of coastal change in the short, medium and longer terms, including developing managed retreat options and the promotion of nature based solutions. The recommendations outlined in the report were approved by Government for implementation.
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, has been assigned the lead co-ordination role and is responsible for chairing an Interdepartmental Steering Group on Coastal Change Management, tasked with implementing the recommendations approved by Government. As part of that implementation it is envisaged that a number of coastal erosion pilot projects will be progressed.
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.
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 that will allow members of the public to report coastal erosion observed in their locality. This work will inform the development of integrated coastal change management plans.
With respect to coastal flood risk, flood maps have been prepared by the OPW for the entire coastline for a range of flood event probabilities for each of four potential future scenarios taking into account the potential impacts of climate change, as well as for the present day conditions. These maps are publicly available to view through the OPW flood information portal; www.floodinfo.ie. The maps provide comprehensive information on areas potentially at risk from flooding due to climate change. All new and ongoing flood relief projects require the preparation of Scheme Adaptation Plans such that the design and implementation of the scheme takes the potential impacts of climate change into account with a view to ensuring that the scheme will provide for, or can be adapted to manage, the likely increases in future flood risk. A programme of work has commenced and is due for completion in 2029, to prepare Scheme Adaptation Plans for previously constructed flood relief schemes to determine what adaptation measures may be required in the future to maintain the required standard of protection. Public consultation forms part of the design and planning stages of Flood Relief Scheme delivery.
The Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme was introduced by OPW 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. Local authorities may apply for funding for coastal erosion projects costing up to €2 million to deal with existing coastal erosion issues.
