Expert engineers to protect coast from global warming

Cork County Council has set up a specialist engineering department which will look at protecting its 1,100km coastline from the effects of storms and rising seas caused by global warming.

The county has one-sixth of the country’s coastline and some of its coastal infrastructure received a fierce battering last January and February.

County engineer David Keane has brought together seven engineers into one department who will initially concentrate on finalising in-the-pipeline coastal management and flood prevention projects. It’s hoped that some of their energies will be directed to guarding against the potential fall-out from rising seas caused by melting ice.