Bray Coastal Protection Scheme Neglect leads to Flooding- Brady

Sinn Féin councillor John Brady has said serious questions need to be answered after the Bray Seafront area flooded on Monday, the first time since the Bray coastal protection scheme was completed in 2001. The Bray project was of the most controversial coastal protection schemes to have been carried out in Wicklow in recent years.

Sinn Féin councillor John Brady said "Unfortunately on Monday the Seafront area in Bray was flooded again, the first time since the Bray Coastal Protection Scheme. Many homes and businesses have been affected including the facilities for the Queen of Peace Youth Club and Bray Rowing Club. The area from Sealife to the Bray Head Hotel was worst affected.”

Cllr Bray went onto say “In June 2012 I raised serious concerns about the condition of the coastal protection scheme, nothing however was done to address any of the concerns I had about the scheme and the entire area was left vulnerable. Work on the coastal protection scheme began in 1998, and was completed in 2001 at a cost of £2.5 million. However since then thousands of tonnes of stone have been washed away and I believe this is the reason why unfortunately the area has been flooded again.”

Cllr Brady continued "The project was supposed to have been monitored and replenished over the last 12 years but this simply has not happened. This has left the projects overall viability in question leaving the seafront at risk of flooding again and also putting the promenade at risk. We need answers as to why nothing was done when I raised concerns with the council about the scheme in 2012. The erosion has also left the foreshore unstable and a public safety issue. I am calling on the council and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney to carry out a survey on the overall project and have the necessary works carried out immediately.”