Why are the projects needed?
The impacts of coastal erosion on the East Coast of Ireland from Dublin to Wicklow are increasingly evident with beaches and cliffs slowly being lost on an annual basis. This rate of loss will increase in line with sea level rise and storm frequency/intensity increases. Some areas along the East Coast railway line have seen encroachment through the loss of coast of up to 20 to 30 meters in the last ten years alone. This has resulted in large losses in land and habitats, and incursions to such levels that existing infrastructure, in particular the railway line between Dublin and Wicklow, is at real risk of loss to coastal erosion.The Projects enable the protection of a key transport corridor along the East Coast. Protecting this important transport infrastructure from the effects of climate change allows the safe operation of the DART and Intercity services for passengers and provides a sustainable transport option.