Duncannon residents are extremely
worried about the effects of coastal erosion on the popular south wexford
village. Major damage was done to homes
and the beach during the most recent storms, leading to over 16 feet of sand
dunes being washed away. According to
locals, this has left the village, and the main road into it, dangerously
exposed to the sea.
Last month a delegation from the
County Council met with Duncannon residents and assured them that action would
be taken and that emergency government funding would be accessed to deal with
this problem. To date, the residents haven't
even received a letter of confirmation from the Council. Tensions are rising in the tourist hotspot,
with many claiming that their concerns are being ignored and will be ignored
until it is too late.
Local Sinn Féin election
candidate Oisin O' Connell visited the village recently with his party's
European candidate, Liadh Ní Riada. Mr
O' Connell stressed that action needed to be taken now before things got worse
and questioned why the government hasn't accessed available EU funding to deal
with the situation.
"In South Wexford we have
always had a battle on our hands with the sea," Mr O' Connell said,
"Some years ago coastal protection measures were employed in Duncannon
when it looked like the golf course was going to disappear into the sea. Similar measures were put into place in other
areas like Cullenstown. They weren't
pretty but they worked, mainly because of the promptness in which the projects
were commenced."
"Similar measures need to
put into action now to protect the road into Duncannon and local
residents. I am shocked that the
government has made no attempt to draw down on funding from the EU which is
available for these kinds of projects."
As the good weather finally
appears in Wexford, people will move in their throngs to the beautiful
Duncannon beach. It's essential that
action is taken to safeguard this great south wexford asset now.
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