asked the Minister for Finance if he will state what grants, if any, under the Relief Schemes Vote have been or are to be made available to have the River Inny deepened and cleaned between Lough Deravaragh and Ballymahon, County Westmeath, and whether he is aware that the carrying out of this work would give much needed employment in the locality and prevent the flooding of a large area of land during the rainy periods.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Drainage of Westmeath River.
No grant has been made under the minor relief schemes for the deepening and cleaning of the River Inny between Lough Deravaragh and Ballymahon. The responsibility for the proper maintenance of this portion of the River Inny rests partly with the Trustees for the Inny Drainage Districts and partly with the Upper Inny Drainage Board. The Commissioners are satisfied that the mere restoration of the Inny and Upper Inny Drainage Districts without substantial improvements would not afford much practical benefit, and that the best method of dealing with the matter would be to formulate, under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1925, a comprehensive scheme to include both districts and outlying areas. These views were, in July, 1928, communicated to the County Councils of Cavan, Longford, Meath and Westmeath, who were asked to arrange for the presentation of petitions under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1925. So far, the petitions have not been presented.