I move the adjournment of the Dáil until 3 o'clock on Wednesday next.
ADJOURNMENT. - FLOODS IN TIPPERARY.
I understand that Deputy White, of the Farmers' Party, has withdrawn the notice of his intention to raise the question of distress in Tirconaill. I just want to bring to the notice of the Government the position that has been created in many parts of the South of Ireland, particularly in Tipperary, by floods. I am sure that every member of the Dáil is conversant, through the newspapers, with the hardship that has been created during the last few days. The following appeared in yesterday's issue of the "Freeman's Journal" in connection with the town of Clonmel:—
"Those living in cottages in the Old Bridge district are in a pitiable plight. Dozens of workers' families were flooded out, and had to climb into lofts, etc., to escape the water, and were imprisoned there."
That is a terrible state of affairs, and I want to suggest that the cause of it is bad drainage. I want to suggest to the Government that it is about time for them to try to get some scheme on foot for proper drainage. This is not confined to urban district. For many years very serious damage has been done in agricultural districts by the continual flooding of rivers. I do not intend to delay the Dáil on this matter, but I suggest to the Government that they ought to take steps to prevent a recurrence of such floods, which do such tremendous damage to the agricultural community, and, in this case, to people living in urban districts, and I suggest that in this case also the Government should do something to relieve the distress caused to the people whose houses have been flooded. Their property, such as bedding and other articles, has been destroyed, and at present most of the poor people of Clonmel and Carrick-on-Suir in particular are housed in the convents and in the workhouses. We read in this morning's papers of water five feet deep rushing through houses in Carrick-on-Suir, washing away all the furniture and bedding belonging to the poor people. That is all I have to say on the matter, but I would like to impress on the Government that proper schemes of drainage should be undertaken immediately in order to prevent a recurrence of this. I am sure Deputies on the Farmers' Benches will agree with me, because they have been labouring the fact that serious damage has been done in agricultural districts for a long number of years, owing to the flooding of the rivers.
I may say that a very disastrous state of affairs exists over a very wide area in the County Kildare, computed at 100,000 acres, at present flooded by the river Barrow. A gentleman, who is known to many members of the Dáil, Mr. Cobb, of Portarlington, who lives in the middle of the district, was here yesterday and told me that in some parts the roads are flooded to the extent of five or six feet. This has entailed a great deal of misery and privation upon the people of the district. I think it would be a very good time for some members of the Government, who like a little diversion and holiday, to go to Monasterevan and charter a schooner. They would have some nice experiences.
I rise to support Deputy Morrissey in his suggestion that strong steps should be taken by the Government to relieve the distress caused by the flooding in the towns of Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir and Tipperary, and also that some steps should be taken to remove the causes of this periodic flooding in these districts. I am aware, from my knowledge of the towns in question, that there are a great many low-lying streets, mostly inhabited by the poorer classes, and I understand, from the accounts in the papers, that these streets have been flooded, and that a great number of the poorer people have been obliged to leave their homes, and have been taken away in boats. I know that where flooding takes place, dirty water and all that kind of thing gets into the houses, injures the little furniture, and all the household belongings of the people, and that in many cases these houses become uninhabitable and become insanitary, owing to dampness. I do not think the local authorities have any power or any money for the relief of distress caused by this, and I think it would be rather a matter for the Government. In particular, I would like to emphasise the necessity for removing the cause of this periodic flooding, and it applies not only to the urban, but to the rural areas. There are large areas in Tipperary drained by the Suir and the Anner, which are periodically flooded, and I believe that this flooding could, in a measure at least, be relieved if steps were taken by the Government. It is an engineering matter to a large extent, and I am not competent to deal with the methods which could be used, but I understand that considerable relief could be given with a comparatively low expenditure. In North Tipperary, a great deal of damage is done to agricultural lands by the flooding of rivers. I understand that the rivers are silted up, and this has been caused, to a large extent, by trees and other obstructions, which have been allowed to accumulate. I would suggest that the Government ought really seriously to consider the advisability of segregating portions of the unemployment money for purposes of this kind. This is the kind of constructive work we want to see given, and I would suggest that money would be much better expended on this sort of work, and that the morale and the self-respect of the workers would be kept up to a much higher standard by being thus employed than by hanging round and going periodically to draw this demoralising dole.
I support Deputy Morrissey in drawing attention to this matter. Commissions have been sitting continually, and the ablest engineers in the country for the last 50 or 60 years have made recommendations on the question of drainage. I think it is about time that the Government, who are anxious to find employment for demobilised soldiers and to relieve unemployment generally, should consider the question of the drainage of the rivers. In the constituency I represent a body of men have formed themselves into a Committee for the purpose of promoting a Private Bill dealing with the drainage of the Barrow. That is not a matter that should be left to a few individuals in a particular area. It is a national duty for the Government to deal with the question as a whole to prevent the recurrence of such things as have occurred at present. I think the Government should seriously consider the question of the drainage of the rivers in the months of April and May next, and they should not leave questions of such national importance to a few individuals to spend private money in bringing in a Bill such as I have referred to.
I also support the representations made by Deputy Morrissey in this connection. I think the time has arrived when the Government should seriously consider the question of drainage in the Saorstát. I have just received information that a good deal of land is under water in Co. Wexford. I know a good part of the railway line between Enniscorthy and Wexford is under water. These matters should receive the serious consideration of the Government, and I urge on them the necessity of taking action on this very important matter as soon as possible.
I take it that two questions have been raised, one the relief of immediate distress occasioned by flooding, and the other the general question of drainage. If these be the two points put forward, with regard to the first it is a matter for the local authorities, and I think it would be well that people in such localities should make some effort to look after themselves. It is not a good policy to be always looking to the Government for every possible form of assistance or initiative in everything that is to be done. It is a local liability, so far as I know, and the Government spends a considerable amount of money in making grants to local authorities of one sort or other during the year. It is really contributing as much to these grants as it can possibly afford.
As regards the second question, that has been under consideration, but it is not in an advanced state, and the general impression is that there is no immediate chance of doing anything during this year, and that at this particular time when the floods are high is not the time, even if one had the money, when it could be profitably spent. Suggestions have been made by Deputies, and it has been urged that we should take them into serious consideration. We have had them under consideration for some time past. It is a very big subject, and it may cost a good deal of money to deal with the drainage question in the immediate future. For the next two or three years any expenditure on foot of improvements, or expenditure of any kind, must be very carefully planned, very carefully considered, and the proposals must be cut down to the lowest possible sum that would be in keeping with efficiency, but I can assure the Deputies who have spoken that we are seriously considering the question, and I do not think it is at all likely that we will be in a position to make any further pronouncement on the matter within the next two or three months. We do not anticipate we will be in a position to say anything on the subject sooner than May or possibly June.
The Dáil adjourned at 4.12 p.m. until 3 p.m. Wednesday, 23rd January, 1924.