asked the Minister for Finance whether the accounts of the Ballinamore and Ballyconnell, Co. Leitrim Drainage Board have been audited, and, if not, whether he will stay the proceedings for collecting levies until such time as the audit takes place; if a competent person will be sent to examine into and report on the work of this Board with a view to ascertaining whether the levies made on the public by same are necessary or justified under the circumstances.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. [ORAL ANSWERS.] - LEITRIM DRAINAGE BOARD'S ACCOUNTS.
There is no legal duty on Drainage Trustees to have their accounts audited. There is a legal duty on them to keep accounts and to produce them at all reasonable times for inspection by the proprietors or persons interested in the drainage works, and the attention of all Drainage Trustees was called to this duty in the year 1918; but its performance is not enforcable by the Government either in the way suggested by the Deputy, or in any other way. The only power which the Government has in this matter is to carry out an inspection, and, if necessary, to carry out works if it appears that the Drainage Trustees have not maintained their District properly.
If a complaint is made to the Board of Works of any definite failure by the Ballinamore and Ballyconnell Drainage Trustees to maintain the works of their district, inquiry will be made. For any other failure of duty on the part of the Drainage Trustees, remedies must be sought in the Courts of Law.