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Dáil Éireann - Volume 263 - 15 November, 1972

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - River Drainage.

34. Mr. O'Hara asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware of the serious flooding from the Luing river in east Mayo and Roscommon; and if he will take steps to remedy the situation.

38. Mr. Taylor asked the Minister for Finance the progress made in the drainage of the River Fergus and in the relief of flooding of adjoining agricultural land; the projected date of completion of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

39. Mr. McEllistrim asked the Minister for Finance if he will have the river Lee in Tralee, County Kerry dredged as soon as possible in view of the flooding of the land in this area.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance (Mr. Lemass): With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 34, 38 and 39 together.

[1668] As I explained to the Dáil on a number of occasions, the question has been raised as to whether the economic and social returns from arterial drainage are sufficient to justify the heavy capital investment necessary for the service. With a view to reaching a conclusion, a full cost/benefit study of arterial drainage as administered at present has been put in hand. This study is making good progress and it is hoped the result will be available next year. In the meantime consideration of a number of drainage proposals, including the Lee (Tralee), the Luing (Boyle catchment) River, and the Fergus is being suspended.

Mr. Bruton: Would the Parliamentary Secretary state if what has happened is that the amount expended on arterial drainage in real terms has been declining year by year while this cost/benefit survey is being carried out?

Mr. Lemass: The position is that expenditure was declining before the cost/benefit survey was put in hands. The point is we have now to find out exactly what return we are getting for the investment. We will know that next year.

Mr. Bruton: The fact that the Parliamentary Secretary is cutting down expenditure would indicate that he made up his mind before there was any cost/benefit analysis result.

Mr. Lemass: I think I explained the position in some detail on my Estimate. A survey—it was not a full survey—carried out some years ago suggested that money spent on arterial drainage could possibly be spent better in other ways. I am now getting a full and detailed cost/benefit survey done and we will know the results of that survey next year.

Mr. Bruton: Will it be published?

Mr. Lemass: It will.

Mr. Taylor: The Parliamentary Secretary has not answered my question in relation to the River Fergus. Will the drainage of the Fergus be undertaken without delay or will it be delayed all over again?

[1669] Mr. Lemass: The Fergus is No. 20 on the priority list and, even if drainage were to go ahead at as fast a rate as possible, it would be many years before it would be reached.

Mr. Taylor: Will the Parliamentary Secretary not now be influenced by what happened last Sunday in Ennis? The people were standing by expecting the river to overflow its banks. Should there be a high tide combined with heavy rainfall the threat would be imminent. Would that not influence the Parliamentary Secretary to give some better priority to a town of 12,000 people?

Mr. Lemass: I intend to act on the facts as a whole and not on isolated cases.

Mr. Taylor: Clare County Council discussed this last Monday at a meeting and they urged strong action. The Parliamentary Secretary will be asked to receive a deputation to discuss the negligence all round over the years.

Mr. McEllistrim: Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that many hundreds of acres are flooded by the River Lee? There is a hotel within a couple of hundred yards of the river and it is flooded a couple of times a year. We are very anxious that this river should be drained.

Mr. Coogan: The country is in liquidation.

Mr. Lemass: The Lee comes before the Fergus. It is No. 19.

Mr. Treacy: May I ask the Parliamentary Secretary if the cost analysis survey to which he has referred covers all drainage schemes in the country and, if so, can we have the report on them all next year?

Mr. Lemass: Actually what is happening is that they are taking what are considered to be economic and uneconomic schemes and we are getting a number of rivers surveyed. I think we shall have sufficient information to submit to the Minister for Finance for presentation to the Government to enable them to make a final policy [1670] decision on this matter probably very early next year.

Mr. Bruton: Will the report be published?

Mr. Lemass: That is a matter for the Government.

Mr. Treacy: Does this cover all the main rivers?

Mr. Lemass: It may emerge that it is only a matter of doing main drains rather than all the tributaries. I do not know what will emerge. We shall know in a few months.

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