asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce to state whether he has received a number of claims for compensation from owners of land in and around the Little Brosna (Offaly) for damage done to their property as a result of the Shannon Scheme; whether an assessor visited the lands and took full particulars of such claims in October, 1930; whether he is prepared to sanction payment of compensation to all concerned without further delay or explain the delay in doing so; whether he is aware that owners of certain flooded lands are being pressed for payment of annuities, and whether he will make representations to the Land Commission not to press for such payment until the farmers concerned have received payment of the compensation due to them; also whether he can now state what steps he proposes to take in order to prevent future flooding of these lands.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Shannon Flooding (Compensation Claims).
The claims for compensation received from owners of property adjacent to the Little Brosna River who allege that their lands have been flooded in consequence of the Shannon Scheme total 46. As a result of representations made by the Parish Priest of this area the Valuer for this Department was instructed to call upon him and to interview representatives of the claimants. The question of assessing compensation did not arise at that stage, but as a result of the Valuer's report the Engineers were instructed to make a survey of the area and to submit plans, in order to ascertain the causes of flooding. The Engineers' reports have now been received and are under consideration by the Chief Engineer. These reports indicate that much of the flooding is directly due to the failure of the land owners to clean their land drains. The silting up of the Little Brosna River is also a contributory cause. It must be appreciated that the problem of the floods on the Little Brosna is more than a century old. In so far, however, as the Shannon Scheme may aggravate the flooding conditions for a part of the river compensation will be payable and payment will be made without any avoidable delay. The general position is known to the Land Commission, with whose discretion in the matter of annuities it is not for me to interfere.
The Engineers have not yet decided whether the construction of any works intended to mitigate flooding would be justified.
Will the Minister say if it is proposed to proceed with the banking of portion of this river as provided for in the original constructional scheme?
Nothing was provided for in the original constructional scheme.