asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state in relation to the Timoleague-Courtmacsherry water supply scheme (a) the date of submission of preliminary plans and final plans, respectively, to his Department and the dates on which such plans were returned to the local authority, (b) the date of advertising for tenders and the latest date for acceptance, (c) the date on which the successful contractor was notified of the acceptance of tender, (d) the date on which work commenced and the number of men employed, and (e) the specific date included in the contract for the completion of work.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Timoleague-Courtmacsherry Water Supply.
Preliminary plans were submitted to my Department on 8th January, 1949, and the scheme was approved in principle on 19th February, 1949. Contract documents were submitted on 24th May, 1951, and approved, subject to the incorporation of amendments, on 7th August, 1951. Certain amendments in the reservoir plans and specification for the filter plant were approved on 5th December, 1951. It is not the practice to return plans.
As regards the other parts of the Deputy's question I am informed by the local authority that—(b) advertisements for tenders were published on 8th May, 1953, and the latest date for receipt of tenders was 8th August, 1953; (c) the contractor was notified of the acceptance of his tender on 12th December, 1953; (d) work commenced on 20th April, 1955. Last month there were eight men employed on the scheme, but prior to that there were only five or six according to the monthly returns; (e) no specific date is included in the contract for the completion of the work. The period allowed is 12 months from the date of delivery of all materials to the site.
Would the Minister inform the House of the cause of the delay between the time this was signed by his Department and the advertising for contract by the local authority? What was the cause of the delay on the part of the local authority? Would the Minister give me any information on that?
I am afraid I could not. I am not responsible in any way for the delay on the part of the local authority. The Deputy could find that out by seeking all information on the subject through the Tenders Section of the County Management Act, 1955, or under the Requisition Section of the same Act.
Is the Minister aware that it was because of the refusal by the local authority engineer to give that information that this question had to be put down?
The Deputy has a remedy under the Act.