asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware of the serious losses to farmers and others in Cavan as a result of the flooding of lands along the Inny River; whether he has received any estimate of the loss to the people in the Kilnacrot district thereby; and if he proposes to extend the drainage of the Inny from the point where the drainage board ceased operations so as to relieve the plight of the people and prevent a recurrence of flooding.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Flooding Losses
The entire Inny catchment area will be made the subject of a comprehensive drainage scheme under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945, in due course, but I cannot say when it is likely to be reached in the drainage programme. There is no power to extend the existing drainage district.
asked the Minister for Finance if he proposes to investigate the flooding caused by the River Shannon in Offaly; if he will arrange to apply early remedies; and if he will state what immediate relief it is proposed to give to the farmers in the area from Meelick to Athlone.
I would refer the Deputy to my reply to his question on 14th November, in which I stated that there is no drainage scheme at present under consideration for the main River Shannon.
asked the Minister for Finance whether he has received representations, within the past two years, concerning the flooding of the homes of people on New Road, Portlaoighise; if he has had the matter investigated; and if he will arrange for the local authority, or whoever else may be responsible, to remedy this state of affairs, which renders many families homeless for periods of the year.
I received an application on 23rd February, 1943, for a grant to carry out the work referred to but as the proposal was not submitted through the appropriate local authority it could not be considered for a grant.
asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware that there has been major flooding in some districts in County Dublin, viz., Portmarnock, Kinsealy, Balheary and Ballough; and if, as a number of homes in these areas were flooded recently, he will consider giving such areas the benefit of the Rural Drainage Scheme.
I am aware that floods of unusual severity have occurred in many parts of the country during recent months, but I have no recent information about the particular areas referred to.
An application was received in 1945 in respect of a watercourse flowing through the townlands of Oberstown, Ballough and Newhaggard, but the work was found to be outside the scope of the Rural Improvements Scheme, which is intended to deal only with drainage of a very minor kind. No applications have been received under this scheme in respect of the other areas referred to.