Funding has been secured for the installation of a Rock Armour Revetment at Burrow Beach, Portrane, to prevent further erosion of this section of coastline which is threatening homes in the area.

The Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien TD, and the Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Kevin Boxer Moran TD, announced today that €622,703 in funding will be provided by the Office of Public Works towards the €700,000 cost of the emergency works.

Meanwhile, a long-term solution for the protection of the coast at The Burrow will move a step closer on Wednesday when Fingal County Council submits the Burrow Coastal Flooding and Erosion Risk Management Plan (CFERM) to An Coimisiún Pleanála for approval. The CFERM plan has already been the subject of a significant level of analysis and local consultation, and the Council has already received approval for the plan from the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA).

The two ministers were joined by the Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Tom O’Leary, local councillors, the Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, AnnMarie Farrelly, and officials from both the Council and the OPW when they visited Portrane this afternoon to view last week’s damage to the coastline from Storm Chandra and announce the emergency works funding.

The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Tom O’Leary, said: “I am delighted that the Ministers have agreed to provide funding through the OPW towards the €700,000 cost of emergency works at the Burrow. This will hopefully provide further protection for the homes that are under threat until the permanent solution can be constructed.”

The decision to proceed with the emergency works follows consultation between Fingal County Council, the OPW and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with specialist advice from the Council’s consultants Tetra Tech RPS.

Approximately 300 metres of coastline at the southern end of The Burrow Beach has been identified as the most vulnerable section of the coastline on the peninsula and the rock armour will be installed here.