asked the Minister for Finance if he will state whether the field survey, the designing of a scheme, and the other preliminary requirements for drainage have yet commenced on the Boyne and Blackwater rivers, County Meath; and, if not, if he will state when his Department expects to be in a position to carry out the work.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Arterial Drainage.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will state whether there is a priority list under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945; and, if so, if he will state the position of the Boyne and Blackwater catchment area thereon.
I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 60 and 61 together.
As has been explained here on several occasions by myself and my predecessors, it was necessary for planning purposes when the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945, came into force to draw up a programme of work, but that was expressly regarded as provisional and subject to review as circumstances required. There is no rigid "priority list" of the order in which catchment areas are to be dealt with under the Act. I may say that the River Boyne catchment will be the next major catchment area to be surveyed. It is unlikely, however, having regard to present commitments, that the field survey can be commenced earlier than 1956.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will state (1) the rivers where drainage has been completed under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945, and (2) the rivers on which the field work survey, preparation and planning of a scheme and other preliminary work are in progress; further, if he will state the estimated length of time taken to complete this necessary preliminary work before actual drainage operations commence in a catchment area.
Works have been completed on the Brosna catchment drainage scheme, Counties Laois, Offaly and Westmeath.
Schemes are in progress in the Glyde and Dee catchment, Counties Cavan, Louth, Meath and Monaghan; the Feale catchment, County Kerry; and the Corrib-Clare catchment, Counties Galway, Mayo and Roscommon. A scheme for the Nenagh River catchment, Counties Tipperary (N.R.) and Offaly, has been prepared and exhibited.
Field surveys, preparation and design of schemes are in progress for the catchments of the Rivers Moy (Counties Mayo and Sligo), Maine (County Kerry), Inny (Counties Cavan, Longford, Meath and Westmeath) and Suck (Counties Galway and Roscommon). Surveys of three small catchments, the Lee (County Kerry), Akeragh Lough/Banna (County Kerry) and Clareen River (County Tipperary, N.R.) have been completed.
The period between commencement of field survey work in a catchment and the starting of actual drainage operations would be from four to six years, dependent on the size of the catchment area.