asked the Minister for Local Government whether his attention has been drawn to the manner in which working-class families have suffered damage to their property and personal belongings by periodic floodings in various portions of the City of Dublin; whether representations have been made to him by the Corporation of Dublin to secure the necessary powers to enable them to compensate such persons in a monetary form; whether he has considered such representations, and if so, whether he is prepared to take the necessary steps to grant such powers to the Corporation of Dublin; and if such representations have not been made, whether he will now take the matter under consideration, with the object of making it possible to afford compensation to persons in poor circumstances to enable them to bear the exceptionally heavy burden placed upon them by these periodic floodings, which, in effect, are due to causes outside of the control of the immediate victims.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Flood Damage.
I am aware that the question to which the Deputy refers has been discussed by the Dublin City Council, but no representations on the subject have been made to me. I am informed that following on consideration of the matter by the housing committee of the city council the city engineer has undertaken to examine the possibility that flooding might be obviated by carrying out drainage schemes for the areas affected. In regard to the question of compensation, I would refer the Deputy to the statement made in the Dáil on 20th March last by the Minister for Industry and Commerce in the debate on flood damage in Kilkenny.