asked the Minister for Finance whether he is aware that owing to the overflow of water from the River Woomenagh, between Castlemartyr and Fanisk Bridge, an amount of land becomes inundated during certain months of the year; whether he will send down an engineer to investigate and report as to the probable cost of deepening and widening the river; and if he is aware that the farmers in the district would be prepared to pay portion of the cost on condition the Department would bear a portion also.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Woomenagh River.
The main portion of the Woomenagh River is comprised in the Castlemartyr existing drainage district, which was inspected by an Engineer of the Commissioners of Public Works in 1926, with a view to its restoration under the Drainage Maintenance Act, 1924. It was found that, owing to the absence of trustees, the maintenance of the district had been neglected for many years, and that the works necessary for the proper and effective repair of the district would, if undertaken under the Act of 1924, impose an unduly heavy burden on the occupiers. It was considered better that the case should be treated under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1925, and the Commissioners so informed some of the local interested parties in order that they might arrange for the presentation to the County Council of the petition required under that Act. A petition has not yet reached the Commissioners, and consequently they are not in a position to take any further action in the matter at present.