asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the number of drainage schemes which have been recommended by the Leix County Council and by the Commissioner now administering the affairs of the Offaly County Council to the Commissioners of Public Works under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1925. and (a) in how many cases have inspections been made, (b) in how many cases after inspections have the Board of Works approved of the proposals and undertaken the preparation of schemes, and (c) in how many cases will works be undertaken during the present financial year.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - DRAINAGE SCHEMES IN LAOIGHIS-OFFALY.
To date the Commissioners of Public Works have received five petitions from the Leix County Council, and six from the Commissioner in County Offaly, for schemes in connection with the Arterial Drainage Act, 1925. Those in respect of County Offaly have been returned to the County Secretary in order that the requirements of the Act as regards petitions may be complied with.
No inspections of proposed schemes have been made so far in these counties, and consequently no schemes have been approved. Inspections will, it is hoped, be made during the summer in at least two of the Leix cases, Erkina and Eglish, but owing to the limited staff of engineers available and the large total number (383) of petitions to be investigated, it may not be possible to inspect any of the other cases in Leix and Offaly this year. It is not expected that any drainage works under the Act will be carried out during the year in any district in Leix or Offaly.
Would the Minister consider the advisability of making arrangements for the employment of additional engineers in order to expedite the carrying out of this work?
The supply of engineers with the sort of knowledge and experience required for this work is limited, if it is not exhausted.