asked the Minister for Lands whether an application has been made to him in the matter of repairing the embankment on the Lower Maine River at Callinafercy, Milltown, County Kerry; whether he is aware that the greater part of four farms are under water for a considerable time, and that at Callinafercy East there is grave danger that about 20 holdings will be completely flooded owing to high tides during autumn and winter; that there was a sum of money set aside for the upkeep of this embankment of which a sum of about £400 remains on hands; and whether he will agree to make a sum of money available which, with the amount already available, will put the embankment in proper repair and thus avoid damage to the holdings affected and the destruction of valuable crops.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Repair of Kerry Embankments.
The Land Commission are not responsible for the repair or maintenance of the River Maine embankments in the townlands of Callinafercy East and West, Milltown, County Kerry. On the sale of the Leeson Marshall Estate under the Irish Land Act, 1903, a fund, administered by local trustees, was established to assist the tenant purchasers in the maintenance of the embankments. It has been represented to the Land Commission that these works are at present in bad condition, that flooding is occurring as a result and that the cost of the repairs necessary would be beyond the resources of the fund or of the occupiers of the lands affected. The Land Commission, who have already given very considerable assistance in this case, are having inquiries made with a view to determining what further action, if any, they can take in the matter.
asked the Minister for Lands if he is aware of (a) the serious flooding of large areas of land in the townlands of Castlemaine and Callinafercy, County Kerry, due to the breaches in the embankments of the River Maine, and (b) that the embankments at Gurrane, Killorglin, are also breached; and if he will take steps to have said embankments repaired at an early date.
The Land Commission are not responsible for the repair or maintenance of the embankments at Castlemaine, Callinafercy, or Gurrane, Killorglin. Applications which have been received for assistance towards the repair of the River Maine embankments in the townlands of Callinafercy East and West, and in the townland of Annagh, adjoining Castlemaine, are at present under investigation.
The lands of Gurrane are on the Ventry Estate and there is a maintenance fund, administered by local trustees, to assist the tenant-purchasers in the maintenance of the embankments in this, and other townlands on the estate. Following representations in 1943 that repairs were required, beyond the resources of the fund and outside the skill and experience of the trustees, the Land Commission offered to make available by way of free grant the sum necessary to close breaches which had occurred at Gurrane West and Ballymacprior, and to effect general repairs to works in these and other townlands, subject to the condition that the occupiers of the lands to benefit should co-operate by providing a certain amount of labour, cartage or materials free of charge. The tenants were not prepared to co-operate and, in consequence, the work was not undertaken.