asked the Minister for Finance if he will state whether he intends to make provision to compensate those people who have lost their turf supplies, hay, straw, and live stock as a result of the recent severe flooding by the River Shannon at Banagher, Shannonharbour, Shannonbridge, and other areas where severe hardships were endured by the local residents as a result of the flooding; and if he proposes to introduce legislation which may help to relieve the great financial loss to the people in these areas arising out of the periodic damage caused to their properties by flooding.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Losses by Flooding.
It is not the practice for the State to compensate landholders for losses of the kind referred to and it is not intended to introduce legislation on the subject.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that very great damage was caused to hay, turf and live stock in the area of Banagher, Shannonharbour and Shannonbridge as a result of the serious flooding? Will the Parliamentary Secretary consider what method the Government propose to adopt to compensate these people for the serious loss they have suffered which amounts to a whole year's savings?
We can all have sympathy with the owners and occupiers of low-lying land, but no guarantee can be given that losses suffered in that way can be made good from State sources.
Would it not be possible for the Government to introduce some sort of insurance scheme under which these people's interests would be protected when they suffer any severe loss?
asked the Minister for Finance whether he is aware of the severe hardships caused to the local land owners and citizens of Mountmellick by constant flooding from the Owenass River which flows through the town; if he is aware that this river flows into the Barrow and was cleaned from its confluence with the Barrow up to the town of Mountmellick under the Barrow Drainage Scheme, while the remaining portion from Mountmellick to the source in the Slieve Bloom Mountains has not been cleaned and is in such a state that flooding ensues and causes considerable loss of crops, etc., to local farmers; and if he will state when the Commissioners of Public Works propose to take steps, under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945, to clean the upper reaches of the river, so as to relieve the people and town from the danger of further flooding.
I am aware that areas adjoining the Owenass River upstream of Mountmellick are subject to occasional flooding, but I have not received any complaint of flooding in the town itself since the completion of the Barrow Drainage Scheme. The river through the town is included in that scheme and is maintainable by the Barrow Drainage Board.
It is most unlikely that the question of carrying out extensions to the existing Barrow Drainage system can be considered at any early stage of the arterial drainage programme.
In view of the seriousness of the position in the area, would the Parliamentary Secretary request the sanction of the Minister for Local Government for the Leix County Council to appoint a drainage committee with power to strike a rate so that they will be responsible for the cleaning and maintenance in accordance with the terms of the Arterial Drainage Act and have the rate a county-at-large charge?
That is a separate question.
The county council concerned must discuss their problems direct with the Department of Local Government.