Wicklow’s erosion prone coastline without targeted funding as new €3m biodiversity package bypasses dunes
The Wicklow PeopleWicklow’s coastline has been left out of a key funding stream for invasive species control and dune protection, despite being one of the most erosion vulnerable stretches in the country.
The latest allocations under the Local Biodiversity Action Fund (LBAF) show that Wicklow will receive almost €97,000 for four biodiversity projects, but none of them relate to the county’s beaches, dune systems or coastal habitats.
The council received funding for a woodland bat survey, a landscape restoration programme, a biodiversity‑enhancement programme on council lands, and a countywide education and monitoring initiative.
In 2025, the council received €11,973 for a general biodiversity‑enhancement project on council‑owned lands, again with no coastal focus.
The latest announcement was made by junior minister Christopher O’Sullivan during National Biodiversity Week.
Confirming €3 million in funding for 209 projects nationwide, he said the investment would “have huge impacts for our habitats and wildlife” and praised the work of local authority biodiversity officers in delivering nature projects across the country.
He highlighted the diversity of projects being funded, noting that proposals ranged from bird‑monitoring and meadow management to dune and wetland restoration.
“There are practical, hands‑on projects too, such as removing invasive species,” he said, adding that initiatives such as the Hare’s Corner and Return to Nature programmes were expanding into more counties.
The director general of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Niall O’Donnchú, welcomed the high standard of applications nationwide, saying the fund empowers local authorities to work directly with communities to protect natural heritage.
“Our public and shared places are vital for biodiversity, as well as for our health and wellbeing,” he added.
Other counties did secure targeted funding for shoreline restoration.
Waterford received €26,350 for a Sand Dunes Restoration and Management Plan for Tramore and Bunmahon. Sligo received €17,000 for a Dune Vegetation Management Plan for Killaspugbrone Dunes SAC. Several counties also received funding for invasive‑species control in coastal or wetland environments.
Wicklow’s coastline includes some of Ireland’s most sensitive and erosion‑prone habitats, such as the Brittas Bay dunes (SAC), the Murrough Wetlands (SAC/SPA), and the Kilcoole–Newcastle coastal strip.
These areas face pressures from rising sea levels, storms and invasive species such as sea buckthorn, which has spread extensively through dune systems.
Independent TD Barry Heneghan recently sought clarity on national assessments and funding for invasive species affecting coastal and dune environments.
In response, Deputy O’Sullivan confirmed the government has not carried out a national assessment of the impact of invasive plant species on coastal erosion.
He also confirmed that the NPWS does not run its own invasive‑species control programmes and that responsibility for managing invasive species rests with landowners, including local authorities.
Under the EU Invasive Alien Species Regulations 2024, councils must monitor, control and manage invasive species on their own lands.
The NPWS provides guidance and liaises with councils when invasive species occur within or adjacent to Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) or Special Protection Areas (SPAs), but operational responsibility remains local.
This means Wicklow County Council is responsible for invasive‑species control on its coastline.
Volunteer groups have carried out invasive‑species removal in some areas, particularly at Brittas Bay, but these efforts are limited in scale and rely on intermittent support.