asked the Minister for Finance if, in view of the unemployment situation in Skibbereen, he will have the Ilen River cleaned and dredged and so offset the danger of flooding.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Skibbereen Unemployment.
The proportionate amount available in the current year from the Employment and Emergency Schemes Vote for employment schemes in Skibbereen has been notified to the local authority concerned, and it will be a matter for that body to submit suitable work schemes to absorb the allocation.
The Deputy, however, must know that the dredging of the Ilen River is not a suitable proposal.
In view of the invitation of the Taoiseach to Deputies tospecify areas and suggest schemes that might serve for the alleviation of unemployment in districts, on that basis would the Parliamentary Secretary not have the overdue cleaning of this river, which involves severe flooding in Skibbereen each winter, attended to now?
I presume that the only work to be carried out there would be dredging, which would not relieve unemployment very much. It would be principally expenditure on machinery.
The whole river wants cleaning.