asked the Minister for Finance if he will take immediate action to prevent a collapse due to coast erosion of the main road into Ballycotton, County Cork.

The responsibilities of the Commissioners of Public Works in regard to coast protection are derived solely from the Coast Protection Act, 1963. Under this Act proposals for coast protection are initiated by the local authority. While a number of coast protection proposals have been referred to the commissioners by the Cork County Council, including one affecting an area about a mile north of Ballycotton, none is concerned with the prevention of collapse of the main road into Ballycotton. At this stage therefore the initiative is the county council's.