asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he is aware that, owing to flooding by the Glenisland river, interments in Killeen cemetery have been held up, in some cases for days; and whether, in the circumstances, he will arrange for the cleaning and deepening of the river, from a point 200 yards upstream from the cemetery to the river mouth, so as to leave the cemetery completely dry in all weathers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Flooding of County Mayo Cemetery.
I am not aware that interments in Killeen cemetery have had to be deferred because of flooding by the Glenisland river. From inquiries made of the local authority I have ascertained that while the road leading to the cemetery may be, occasionally, subject to slight flooding such flooding has not been so serious as to require the postponement of interments.
Arising out of that reply, would the Parliamentary Secretary state the channel from which he got his information?
In reply to the Deputy, the local Catholic curate, the sergeant of the Civic Guards, the road ganger for the district and the caretaker for the cemetery were interviewed by the county engineer and the opinion of these persons was that no interments had been deferred because of flooding.
Arising out of that reply, I wish to bring to the notice of the Parliamentary Secretary that on several occasions complaints have been made to me that interments had to be deferred because newly-opened graves had been flooded, due to flooding in the local river. I tabled this question to the Minister for Finance. I now find that it has been transferred to the Minister for Local Government. I believe it is a matter for the Minister for Finance.
The Deputy is making a statement. He is entitled to ask supplementary questions but he is not entitled to instruct either the Minister or the Parliamentary Secretary.
Might I point out that I prefer to believe my informants on the subject rather than the Parliamentary Secretary's source of information?
Possibly there is some confusion. The Deputy asked two questions previously with regard to another cemetery. If the Deputy would make further inquiries as to which cemetery in the neighbourhood his question relates he might be able to let me have some further information on the matter.
Both questions refer to Killeen cemetery.