Rock Armour Funding For Kilpatrick Beach Welcomed By Residents

The Government is set to provide almost €900,000 towards coastal protection works in North Wexford.

The OPW has approved funding of €891,875 to construct rock armour and improve access to Kilpatrick beach.

Residents in the area have been campaigning for help for 15 years with many unable to reach their homes at high tide.

Local Independent Councillor Joe Sullivan says it's good to see these concerns will be addressed thanks to this funding:

"OPW Minister Kevin 'Boxer' Moran is well known as a doer rather than a talker when an issue like this is brought to his table, he will assess it and he has delivered on it.

"These homes were in danger of the sea coming in and damaging them so he's seen the danger there and he has acted upon it."

Councillor Sullivan says the residents have been crying out for these works for more than a decade:

"At high tide they couldn't access their homes, they've had to wade in through maybe 18 inches of water to get to their entrances to their homes.

"Some of these houses have been protected by rock armour already but there's going to be more put in to enhance what's already there."

It's part of 1.4 million euro in funding for coastal protection works with more than €560,000 also going towards works near Kelly's Hotel in Rosslare.

Councillor Sullivan says these works should begin right away:

"That funding is coming into place very soon so I think this work has be done by early 2027."

That report was funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.