Debate contribution: Sea Defences: Donaghadee
Debate contribution by Ms Liz Kimmins on .
- MLA
- Ms Liz Kimmins
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 13 October 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Sea Defences: Donaghadee
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5789829
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Along with the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, I am co-chair of the coastal forum. When the forum last met, in November 2025, good progress had been made. The coastal forum working group will produce a stocktake report on the current work programme and make recommendations for the 2026-2031 work programme. That will provide an opportunity to set priorities for the next five years and consider new work areas. My Department also inspects and assesses the impact of coastal erosion on the public road network, including its sea walls and other coastal infrastructure where it meets the coastline, and will make use of any relevant information from the lidar survey. Where coastal erosion or flooding impacts directly on key infrastructure, such as roads, railways and the Department's sea defences, those assets are managed through a programme of regular inspection and appropriate maintenance. My Department's responsibilities for coastal management are limited to approximately 110 kilometres of defences for coastal roads, 26 kilometres of coastal sea defences, two tidal barriers and around 34 kilometres of sea defences protecting the rail network. Those are maintained as necessary to ensure safe operation and to mitigate, where practicable, the impacts of climate change. My Department is responsible for only a small section of the Donaghadee sea wall between Bridge Street and Harbour Lane. The wider harbour area is owned by Ards and North Down Borough Council and designated as a listed structure. Departmental expenditure has therefore related to reactive repairs following storm damage. After the February collapse, the Department acted promptly to protect public safety, reinstate the damaged section and inspect the remaining Department-owned wall, with no further actionable defects identified.
278 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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