asked the Minister for Finance the percentage grant paid by his Department for works done over the past three years for the prevention of coastal erosion; the location of the work; and the percentage grant in each case.

In the period mentioned one coast protection scheme, Enniscrone, County Sligo, has been the subject of a State grant. To date, the State has contributed £120,000 towards the cost of the work which is 50 per cent of the overall cost.

Is that the total cost?

Yes. £120,000 is the total cost to the State.

Is the Minister seriously suggesting that £120,000 is the total amount that has been expended in the past three years on coast erosion?

That is the State's contribution.

Is the Minister not aware that there is a list the length of his arm in his Department of works submitted by local authorities throughout the country in respect of urgent coast erosion problems and that some of them may not be reached at the present rate in the next 50 years?

If there are such problems quite a lot of them have accumulated over the past five or six years.

That is no reply at all.

21.

asked the Minister for Finance if he will press for the payment of EEC grants for the building and extension of harbours; and for the prevention of coastal erosion.

Financial assistance for the development of improvement of harbours in this country is available from the European Regional Development Fund. The availability of assistance for coast protection is being explored.

The whole position is totally unrealistic. In County Waterford alone we have submitted proposals for works which will amount to millions of pounds and one of them was submitted as far back as 1964—is the Minister aware of that?

I am answering the question by saying that no moneys are available from the regional fund for coast protection and we are exploring the possibility of getting moneys.