asked the Minister for Finance if he will state whether it is a fact that his Department gave permission to a Major Aldridge, Mount-falcon, Ballina, County Mayo, to place obstructions in the River Moy, the placing of which has caused excessive flooding in the area; and, if so, the date on which such permission was given and if he will now issue instructions to Major Aldridge to remove these obstructions.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Obstructions in River Moy.
The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. Following an investigation in September, 1949, of a complaint which they received in this matter, the Commissioners of Public Works were advised that there was no evidence of any obstruction having been created in the river by Major Aldridge which might cause the flooding of any land. Consequently, there was no infringement of the relevant provisions of the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945, and the commissioners were not empowered to take any action in the matter.
May I take it from the reply of the Parliamentary Secretary that the statement made at a public meeting in Foxford that at a meeting of the Moy Drainage Committee, I, when Parliamentary Secretary, gave permission to Major Aldridge for these obstructions in the River Moy, is a damned lie?
It has not come to my knowledge what statements were made.
Surely the Parliamentary Secretary and the commissioners of the Board of Works cannot regard the dumping of rocks into the River Moy as being no obstruction to the river.
This was brought to the notice of the commissioners in 1949 and a reply was sent by my predecessor to the person who complained. This is it:—
"With reference to your letter of the 20th July, 1949, addressed to the Minister for Finance, regarding alleged obstruction in the River Moy at Cloongee and Shraheen, Foxford, County Mayo, I am desired by the Parliamentary Secretary to inform you that he has had the matter investigated by the Commissioners of Public Works, who report that the stones deposited in the river bed by Major Aldridge are not of such quantity or in such a position as to occasion any flooding of lands adjoining the river. The Parliamentary Secretary is advised that, in the circumstances, the depositing of stones in the river does not constitute an offence against the provisions of the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945."
And you endorse that?
Major Aldridge never got permission from me, when Parliamentary Secretary, to put those obstructions there.
Arising out of the Parliamentary Secretary's reply, I would like to ask him does he now, as responsible officer for the Board of Works, endorse the contents of the reply which he has just read out to Dáil Éireann?
There has been no evidence and, in fact, no official complaint that stones have been put in that river since 1949. Even in 1949 when the assistant chief engineer went there, the people who were making the complaints were very reticent about giving assistance and, in fact, any assistance he got was from Major Aldridge.
Am I to take it he does endorse and reiterate the contents of the letter which he has read out to Dáil Éireann?
There is no change in the Act.
Or it is Gog and Magog again?