Vol. 161 No. 6
I move:
That a sum not exceeding £248,100 be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1958, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Office of Public Works (1 and 2 Will. 4, c. 33, Secs. 5 and 6; 5 and 6 Vict., c. 89, secs. 1 and 2; 9 and 10 Vict., c. 86, secs. 2, 7 and 9; etc.).
I propose to follow the practice of previous years by taking Votes 8 and 9 together.
Vote 8 bears the salaries and expenses of the administrative, executive and technical staffs of the Office of Public Works, which is the office responsible for the administration of Vote 9.
Vote 9 provides the necessary funds for the purchase of sites and buildings for State purposes; for the erection, maintenance and furnishing of Government offices and other State-owned premises; for the erection and improvement of national schools; for the erection of major military buildings; for arterial drainage and other engineering works; for the maintenance of State-owned parks and State harbours and for a number of other activities.
There is a decrease of £13,400 in the Estimate for Vote 8 compared with the sum voted for 1956-57. This is due chiefly to reduction of £11,550 in the provision for salaries, wages and allowances and £2,800 in the provision for travelling expenses.
As regards sub-head A—Salaries, Wages and Allowances—it will be observed from the details that there is an increase of £8,450 in the gross provision; this is attributable mainly to normal increments and to improved salary scales for certain grades of professional and technical staff. Based on past experience of recruitment, however, a credit of £20,000 is taken in respect of probable vacancies during the year and this results in a net reduction of £11,550 on the sub-head. There is a slight reduction in the total personnel provided for in this Vote.
Sub-heads B—Travelling Expenses— and C—Incidental Expenses—show decreases of £2,800 and £250 respectively, corresponding with current expenditure trends and the contemplated works programme. There is an increase of £300 in the provision for sub-head D—Telegrams and Telephones.
The decrease of £900 in the estimated receipts under sub-head E—Appropriations in Aid—is the net result of a number of variations in the amounts of the items making up this sub-head. Increase occur under items 2, 4 and 7. They include an increase of £6,000 in the estimated fees payable in 1957-58 under the Local Loans Fund regulations, and estimated increases amounting to £5,700 in expenditure recoverable from Vote 9 and from the Vote for Transport and Marine Services in respect of staff employed on arterial drainage construction and maintenance work and on harbour works respectively. The amount recoverable under item 9 as Expenses of Management of the Local Loans Fund is the amount of the expenses incurred in the preceding financial year, less the fees, etc., received in that year. An increase of £8,000 in the offsetting receipts from fees on loans made in 1956-57 accounts for the reduction shown in this item. There are also decreases in the estimated recoupments under item 3 in respect of repayments for agency services, chiefly for the telephone capital service and the British Ministry of Health which are reduced by £2,000, and decreases amounting to £2,600 in the amounts expected to be recovered under items 5 and 8 from the Vote for Employment and Emergency Schemes and the National Development Fund respectively for services in connection with marine and drainage works.
With regard to Vote 9, the Estimate of £3,760,200 for Public Works and Buildings shows a net increase of £220,200 on the original Estimate for 1956-57. The figures for 1956-57 shown in this year's Estimate Volume do not however, take account of the Supplementary Estimate for £25,500 which, as Deputies will be aware, was passed at the close of the financial year and the net increase over last year's total Vote is, therefore, £194,700. The Supplementary Estimate provided a Grant-in-Aid of £500 for the River Shannon navigation under sub-head H (2) and an additional £25,000 under sub-head J (2)—Arterial Drainage—Construction Works. The voted provision for 1956-57 for these sub-heads as given in the volume should be read as amended accordingly.
The largest individual sub-head increase in the Estimate is that of £193,200 in the provision under subhead B for New Works, Alterations and Additions; and there are increases amounting to £106,000 in the provisions under sub-heads A, C, E and F for Purchase of Sites and Buildings, Maintenance, Rents and Fuel. There is a decrease of £41,000 under sub-head J (2)—Arterial Drainage—Construction Works, and a decrease of £71,000 under sub-head K for the Purchase and Maintenance of Engineering Plant and Machinery, and Stores.
In their order of sub-heading, the variations from the sums voted last year are as follows:—
Sub-head A—Purchase of Sites and Buildings—is increased by £13,000 to provide for a balance of expenditure on the purchase of a residence at New York for the representative to the United Nations Organisation.
In sub head B—New Works, Alterations and Additions—there is a net increase of £193,200. As an analysis of the bulk provisions for Departments shown in the printed volume is given in the statement which has been circulated to Deputies it is scarcely necessary for me at this stage to refer to any of the details save perhaps to the provision of £1,550,000 for grants for national school building and improvement schemes, which represents an increase of £200,000 over last year's figure. I do not suppose that any Deputy will take exception to additional provision for this very desirable service.
Sub-head C—Maintenance and Suplies—shows an increase of £50,000 to meet cost increases and some maintenance arrears. The provisions under sub-heads D (1) and D (2) for Furniture and Fittings and for the Central Furniture Stores respectively are unchanged.
The increase of £13,000 under sub-head E—Rents, Rates, Etc.—includes provision for renting of office accommodation and temporary residential accommodation for the representative to U.N.O. Other provisions included in the increase relate to accommodation for the Department of the Gaeltacht, for the petrol rationing section of the Department of Industry and Commerce and for additional accommodation for the central engineering workshop of the Commissioners of Public Works.
Sub-head F—Fuel, Light, Water, Cleaning, Etc.—shows an increase of £30,000 due to increases in the prices of coal, coke, gas, electricity and oil fuel.
The requirements under the minor sub-heads G, H (1) and I do not call for any comment. Under sub-head H (2), provision is made for a grant-in-aid of £4,500 for the Shannon navigation. The expenditure on the operation and maintenance of this extensive undertaking is ordinarily met from a fund which is sustained by rents and the tolls derived from traffic. Traffic has been falling for a number of years, while costs have risen, and the tolls, which were increased to the maximum rates permissible as from 1st October, 1956, and other revenue were insufficient to meet outgoings last year. The balance of the investments held on behalf of the fund were sold to assist in keeping the fund in credit, but there was still a deficit for which a grant-in-aid of £500 required to be voted last year by way of Supplementary Estimate.
The provision for sub-head J (1)— Arterial Drainage Surveys—shows a decrease of £1,200 because, while the survey programme will be of the same order as last year, a saving is expected in the outlay on attendant labour and materials.
The provision of £400,000 for sub-head J (2)—Arterial Drainage—Construction Works—when account is taken of the supplementary provision of £25,000 in 1956-57, is £41,000 less than last year's total Vote. This year's provision is based on the requirements as known when the Estimate was prepared. The following are the main variations shown in the Estimates Volume in the provisions for the individual drainage schemes. Additional provision amounting to £100,000 is made for the Corrib-Clare drainage scheme, work on which will expand further this year.
The Nenagh scheme, which is in full swing, requires an increased provision of £6,000 and a sum of £32,000 is included for the Maine catchment drainage scheme in the expectation that it will commence this year. It will be noted, of course, that the commencement of this scheme is subject to compliance with the requirements of the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945, as regards exhibition and confirmation. The Feale and the Glyde and Dee drainage schemes are nearing completion and the provisions for these schemes are reduced by £152,000 in all.
Sub-head J (5)—Arterial Drainage— Maintenance—has been increased by £4,000 to meet expenditure on the Glyde and Dee drainage scheme in respect of which a certificate of completion is expected to be issued in the course of this year. Expenditure under this sub-head is recoverable from the county councils concerned.
The decrease of £71,000 under sub-head K—Purchase and Maintenance of Engineering Plant and Machinery, and Stores—is for the most part due to a reduction of £61,000 on the item, Purchase of Engineering Plant and Machinery, as it is not necessary this year to purchase any new heavy plant such as excavators, etc., for the arterial drainage schemes in progress or in contemplation.
Under sub-head L—Appropriations-in-Aid—variations in the estimated receipts under the headings listed in the printed volume account for a small net decrease of £750.
I regret that the Parliamentary Secretary did not follow the example of the Minister who moved this Estimate, the Minister for Education, who, for the convenience of Deputies circulated a copy of his speech as he was rising. If the Parliamentary Secretary was ever on these benches in the last three years and did not get that courtesy when I was over there, I regret it, but I think it is a courtesy that assists Deputies on all sides of the House and one which we might agree, no matter who is on that side of the House or on this, should be carried out in the future.
Very briefly I want to ask a few question in relation to these Votes and in regard to certain aspects of them. It is welcome that there is a reduction in Vote 8 of £13,400 in administrative expenses and that at the same time we notice also in that Vote a small reduction in personnel. I am unable, however, readily to see the reason for the reduction in Vote 9, in sub-head E of the Appropriations-in-Aid. The explanation of that reduction does not come readily to hand and perhaps the Parliamentary Secretary when replying might expand a little bit more on that point.
I have a little difficulty because I have a cold at the moment in hearing the Parliamentary Secretary clearly. I know he did refer to the matter but I was not quite clear how it dropped to an amount of one-third.
In Vote 9 it will be noted that the Estimate as a whole shows a big increase. In my view it is desirable that in considering the expenditure that there is over the country as a whole, one should consider the amount that is to be expended under Vote 9 and Vote 10 as a total. In Vote 9 the expenditure is of a more productive nature than in Vote 10 and although we are not discussing Vote 10 at the moment I think it is relevant on Vote 9 to say, as far as I am concerned, that I believe the increase in expenditure should be on the productive side rather than on the less productive Estimate.
The increase in this Estimate is to a very large extent due to the provision that has been made for schools. There is an increase of £179,000 in the amount provided for works for the Department of Education. That amount, which was determined of course by the previous Government, is the highest sum that has ever been set aside in the history of the State for the provision of schools and it is a very substantial one indeed. Certainly, the provision made by us when we prepared this Estimate for this year does great justice to that important work and is a real contribution towards working off the backlog, the arrears that have piled up.
In relation to arterial drainage I should like the Parliamentary Secretary to give me a little information. I should like to know what surveys are actually under survey—I suppose that is the correct phrase—at the moment; what surveys have been commenced; how far have they gone; when are they likely to be completed; what new surveys will be started during the current financial year, so far as it is possible to estimate that at this stage. I am not quite clear as to whether the word "survey" covers, not merely the work that is done in the field, but also the preparation of plans in the office after the field work has been completed, but, if it does not cover what I may term the plan preparation, I would also like to know what field surveys are now being examined in the Department and when it is hoped that what I may call the drawing-board results of these field surveys in respect of the particular rivers that are under examination will reach the point at which they can be presented. I presume the first presentation is to the Minister for Finance of the day.
So far as the actual construction work is concerned, as the Parliamentary Secretary indicated, the Brosna is complete and the Glyde and Dee are expected to come to completion during the current year. The Feale is also coming to an end and I had arranged that the machinery that was in use on the Feale would be transferred to the Maine as it was winding up on the Feale. Does the Parliamentary Secretary propose to continue that decision or does he propose to make any change in policy in that respect?
I should also like the Parliamentary Secretary to give the House the total estimate, both in terms of time and in terms of money, for the Maine. I assume that he is in a position now to indicate that, even though I appreciate that the exhibition provisions of the Arterial Drainage Act and the periods for objection have not yet been finally exhausted.
As the Parliamentary Secretary mentioned, the House is providing this year an extra £100,000 for the Corrib. I should like the Parliamentary Secretary to give us an indication of how long more it is anticipated the Corrib will take and what is likely to be the trend of expenditure on that river during the years ahead. Last year, we had considerable difficulty there, due to the extremely wet summer. The work in Galway City is work that could only be done at low water, and, as a result of that, the whole programme was somewhat thrown out. Weather permitting and the level of the water, therefore, permitting, will the work that it is necessary to do between the lake and the sea be completed in the immediate future? If it will not be completed in the immediate future, is there any danger that, before the work from the lake, by the weir in the city and so forth, is completed, the additional outflow that would come from the work being done higher up would make the situation worse at that outflow?
I am not quite clear, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, whether this is the appropriate Estimate on which to raise arterial drainage work that is being done by the Office of Public Works under National Development Fund allocations or on what Estimate one raises that. I am in your hands.
I would imagine that that should come under the Department of Local Government.
The Office of Public Works do the work. It is under the National Development Fund, but there is no National Development Fund Estimate in the Volume.
If the Deputy wishes to pursue his case, he may do so.
I only want to ask for some similar information on that. I know Rossmanagher is one case which is proceeding under National Development Fund allocations. I think it is almost coming to a conclusion and in that respect there was a question of making a survey of some additional land that might be affected, if a further length of embankment was not repaired. I should like to know whether that survey has yet been made or whether the Parliamentary Secretary is in a position to indicate whether or not it is prudent to continue to do the work on those additional embankments, which, roughly, are on the right bank going downstream of the river from Bunratty Bridge out towards Shannon Airport.
Apart from that, another work that was done under the National Development Fund by the arterial drainage section of the Office of Public Works was, of course, the Rye River between Kildare and Meath. That is drawing very near to a conclusion, if it has not been concluded already, and I should like to pay a tribute to the manner in which that work was carried out. It is an excellent job and, indeed, quite apart from the land that was improved, if it had not been done, there would have been very serious trouble this year in both Kilcock and Leixlip, and the buildings in the towns thus protected should be taken into account, in addition to considering the value of the land improved.
I cannot recollect offhand whether there are any other cases of work being done under the National Development Fund other than the Deale and Swillyburn, to which the Parliamentary Secretary referred in his opening remarks.
I should like to ask one specific question. As Deputies are aware, the previous Government, following the floods of Christmas, 1954, requested the American authorities to let us have from America an expert who had experience in relation to flood prevention and the utilisation of flood waters. Colonel Rydell came here and, after a visit, made, first, a preliminary report, and following that preliminary report made a final report last year. That final report required various further explorations, if I may use the phrase. Further surveys were carried out and I am aware that those surveys and explorations are, or were, in the course of being examined by the Departments and subsidiary State bodies concerned. Does the Parliamentary Secretary propose to publish that report at any stage? I appreciate that that may not be a question for the Parliamentary Secretary himself and he might not like to answer it without consulting the Government. Therefore, if he feels that he does not want to answer that question at this stage, I shall quite understand.
I take it without question that the work of collating the information, the various statistics and the various hydrometric data and so forth, that Colonel Rydell deemed necessary for the full consideration of the matters to which I referred has been going on and will continue to go on, until the necessary data on which a final decision can be taken are available. I want to make it quite clear that I am not expecting the Parliamentary Secretary to have come to the House at this stage with a cut-and-dried solution for that problem; I am more reasonable on this side of the House than he was when he was here. The problem is an intricate and a difficult one and I would not expect him to produce a solution within six weeks, but when we come to a discussion of it at a later stage, then I will feel that I will be more entitled to have his answer to the problem after he has had the opportunity to consider it. I would ask him, however, specifically to consider at some stage, not necessarily to-day, as to whether or not he is going to publish the report.
I felt that it was desirable that the collation of the information that Colonel Rydell required should proceed for a while, at any rate, before publication. I do not know how far that collating of information has progressed. The final report, as far as I remember, was received on 20th August, 1956 and appropriate steps were taken since then. The nature and extent of the problem is such that it is desirable that as much information as possible should be given to the House, and, through the House, to the country as a whole.
I do not quite understand one thing in the Appropriations-in-Aid on Vote 9. As I understand the situation, the Brosna certificate has been signed and I think I heard a moment ago that it was expected that the Glyde and Dee certificate would be signed during the current year. That was my expectation. If that is so, why is it that there is a decrease in the Appropriations-in-Aid for arterial drainage maintenance? I would have thought, having regard to the recoupment provisions that exist in the 1945 Acts, that when a second scheme is coming into that stage, we would have had an increase in those appropriations this year. If the appropriation had been exactly the same, then I would have said that it was the same because it was the same for the Brosna alone, and that the Glyde and Dee were dealt with on the basis of a recoupment in one year for work in the preceding year; but it does not seem to me to be operating on that basis, and perhaps we could have some little assistance and enlightenment on that figure. The actual number under sub-head L is 7 and the decrease is from £24,500 to £21,000. I would have thought, with the additional scheme coming in this year, that there would have been an increase rather than a decrease.
Only for the fact that I want to spare the Parliamentary Secretary's blushes, I might have regarded this Estimate as being one of the Estimates on which we were entitled to think that there would be action now. I am referring to the bulletin that was published by the Fianna Fáil Party during the course of the election. It was not to be action this year, next year or sometime. It was to be action now and this would be one of the Estimates on which we would be entitled to expect action, but perhaps that might be more suitable for a wider sphere. I did pick up a copy of that bulletin in South Galway.
First of all, I am glad to see that there is an extra £100,000 provided for the Corrib this year. I hope and I am confident that it will be spent in a slightly different manner from the manner in which money has been spent by the Parliamentary Secretary's predecessor. I hope and the people in my constituency where the major portion of the work in the Corrib catchment is in progress, have reason to believe, that people will no longer be getting employment there through political influence. From now on, they hope and expect that it will be the people who are really deserving of work who will get work there. I trust that the Parliamentary Secretary will see to it that this will be given effect to immediately.
Secondly, I want to say that there is an enormous amount of machinery engaged on the Corrib work and an enormous amount of waste. There are machines working there which cost anything up to £140,000. On average, they are working from six to seven hours each day. I could not picture any firm having a contract anything like that for the Corrib scheme, bringing in machinery worth something like £1,000,000 and allowing it to stand idle for two-thirds of the time. I see no reason why those machines could not be engaged on shift work. I think it is very foolish to spend so much on machinery which is working for only eight hours a day. Every machine should be working 24 hours a day. They are too expensive to have them idle two-thirds of the time. I hope some effort will be made to get a better output from these machines than we are getting at present.
I know that work along the Corrib at present has to be done in patches. All the machines cannot be put working together. However, a number of hardships are inflicted by the fact that the water is relieved in one particular place and taken at a much faster rate to another place where there is no outlet. As a result, there is flooding and undue hardship in the areas to which the water is brought. I am referring particularly to a place called Clonmore. As a result of the work there, people in that place have had land flooded this year which has never been flooded before. I trust some effort will be made to reduce the flooding caused there.
I would also like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary if there is any hope of having a survey made of the remaining portion of the Corrib. I am referring to the Black River. This is where very severe flooding was caused in my constituency a few years ago. People were marooned and very grave hardships were inflicted. I would urge the Parliamentary Secretary to have the survey carried out so that we can get on with the completion of the Corrib at that end before moving on to some place else.
I am glad to see that the amount for minor employment schemes has been increased.
That does not arise on this Vote.
On the matter of drainage schemes, I would ask the Parliamentary Secretary to expand work on the Corrib scheme towards the west of the area. Practically all the work done so far has been on the eastern part around North Galway and at the mouth of the river itself. I would like to know if any survey has been made of the little rivers and streams running into the Corrib from Glann, Cornamona and Maam Valley areas. There have been several complaints by the people of the district about their land being flooded. They are unable to get potato crops and oats crops on these lands adjoining the Corrib because of the flooding. I would like the Parliamentary Secretary to have the matter seen to.
There are other drainage areas besides those in Galway. There are two in County Wexford, Cahore and Kilmore. When last in office the Parliamentary Secretary promised that they would be next in order. I should like him to give attention to those areas. They will not cost anything like the considerable sums that have been spent on the large rivers in the Midlands.
Some few years ago, when there was considerable flooding on the Shannon, an American expert was brought over to advise the Government on the problem. We never saw any report published of the advice he gave. I would like the Parliamentary Secretary to tell us if that report was ever made and, if so, when its findings will be put into operation to relieve the serious flooding that takes place there.
I am glad to see further provision for schools. Despite the fact that there has been a vast improvement in the condition of schools over the years and that a number of new schools have been built, a lot of work remains to be done. We hear of schools up and down the country which it is proposed to replace, despite the fact that they appear to be reasonably good schools. Is it a fact that all the bad schools in the country have now been replaced and we are on to the not-so-bad schools? In my constituency there is an outstanding example of a place where a new school is needed. It is the Christian Brothers' school in the town of Gorey. I do not know whether money has been allocated for it or not this year. The children have to be accommodated around the town in any building that can be found. They cannot find sufficient buildings; they are crowded out. There are 80 to 90 pupils in one class in one small room. There have been numerous complaints from parents. I would like to know if an effort will be made to have the school built in the present year. It is one of the most urgent cases I know.
The Parliamentary Secretary's attention has been directed to the West and the South; I should like to direct it to the North. What can be done in regard to the River Erne? It is a bone of contention between North and South. The people in my constituency want to know if the Parliamentary Secretary will provide money to have that work done this year. Practically no work on the land project and such schemes can be done in this big catchment area because of flooding. One thousand pounds has been devoted to the Corrib and Deputy Killilea has stated that the area is swamped with machinery. We would not turn down the prospect of having some of that machinery sent northwards to do drainage on the Erne.
Deputy Sweetman who was the first to speak, I am sure has a very good idea of how a Book of Estimates is made up. Perhaps there would be something more in the Book of Estimates, if the financial position permitted. I think the former Minister for Finance vetted that book himself very thoroughly before it was sent to the printers and circulated.
The former Minister said at the outset that he thought it would have been better form if the leaders of the Opposition Parties had been given advance copies of the opening statement on the Estimate. I was in Opposition for a few years and can say it was not customary for the then Government to make copies of the statement available in advance. I shall keep the observation in mind. I see nothing wrong with the suggestion and shall ask my Office to have extra copies prepared in future years and circulated to the leader of each of the Opposition Parties.
Deputy Sweetman mentioned the provision for schools and observed that it was the highest ever. That is so. There has been a gradual increase during the past five or six years in that respect. Of course, the increase in the present Estimate does not mean there will be a very accelerated school building programme as far as new schools are concerned, because a considerable portion of the money is to meet expenditure on works that were in progress in January, 1957. The figure is £1,175,000. Provision for contracts yet to be placed is £300,000 and the balance not yet allocated is £75,000.
On several occasions, there have been suggestions from Deputies representing rural areas that these areas were not getting fair play in the apportionment of moneys. There were suggestions that all the money is being spent in the larger areas such as Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and elsewhere. I have here an analysis of the geographical distribution of the amount spent, which is as follows: country boroughs, £623,000; other urban areas, £246,000; rural areas, £606,000. I think that is a fair apportionment.
All Deputies who spoke on the Estimate mentioned arterial drainage. It is a very important programme, being carried out under the Arterial Drainage Act of 1945. I expected that that item would be referred to by nearly all Deputies, particularly Deputies from the rural areas, so I propose to give a full statement on the position as far as drainage is concerned. In regard to the Brosna catchment which was completed in December, 1955, the total estimated cost of the scheme was £1,180,00. The total estimated expenditure to 31st March, 1957, was £1,179,000. For the Corrib-Clare scheme—the total estimated cost was £2,120,000 and the total estimated expenditure to 31st March, 1957, was £770,000. The approximate date of completion is 1965—eight years from now.
In regard to the Feale, the total estimated cost was £1,200,000 and the total estimated expenditure to 31st March, 1957, £1,160,000. The approximate date of completion is the summer of 1958. For the Glyde and Dee, the total estimated expenditure was £1,040,000, of which £1,020,000 was expended up to 31st March, 1957. The approximate date of completion is the summer of this year. For the Nenagh minor catchment scheme, the total estimated cost was £271,000, of which £120,000 had been spent up to 31st March, 1957. The approximate date of completion is the summer of 1960.
There were other schemes carried out from moneys provided from sources other than the Arterial Drainage Act. Some of these were financed from Land Reclamation Act moneys and from the National Development Fund. I also propose to give a detailed statement on work being done from such funds. On the Boyle River, the total estimated cost of a drainage scheme was £55,000. The scheme was completed in 1953 and the estimated expenditure up to 31st March of this year was £55,000. For the Rye River, the estimated cost of the scheme was £55,500, of which £53,000 had been spent up to 31st March, 1957. That scheme is virtually completed.
In regard to the Owenogarney embankments, the estimated total cost was £100,000, of which £51,000 had been spent up to 31st March last. The approximate date of completion is the summer of 1958. A scheme for the drainage of the Deale and Swillyburn, in Donegal, will be financed from the National Development Fund. The scheme has been exhibited and is about to be submitted to the Minister for Finance for confirmation. The estimated cost of the scheme is £190,000.
A provision of £32,000 is included in the Estimate for expenditure on a scheme on the Maine in Kerry. It is now doubtful, however, if expenditure of this order will materialise this year as the engineering reports are still under examination. For the minor catchment of Clareen, in Tipperary, a scheme estimated to cost £35,000 has been prepared and, subject to the necessary authority of the Minister for Finance and compliance with the statutory requirements, could be undertaken before the Nenagh scheme concludes. A draft scheme for Akeragh Lough-Banna in Kerry is nearing completion by the Engineering Branch. In regard to the Inny in Counties Cavan, Longford, Meath and Westmeath, the design of a scheme is well advanced, but estimates of cost, the area of land to benefit and the annual improvement value are not yet available. The design of a scheme for the Moy—Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo—is well advanced, but estimates of cost, the area of land to benefit and the annual improvement value are not yet available. An engineering survey is virtually completed for the Suck, affecting Galway, Mayo and Roscommon; the survey data are being studied with a view to the design of a scheme.
Deputy Allen mentioned minor catchments in Wexford at Ballyteigue. This area has been surveyed and the design of a scheme is in hands. In regard to Cahore, County Wexford, a minor catchment, this area has been surveyed and the results are being studied. In regard to catchments under survey and on which it is proposed to put a survey staff during the current financial year, they are as follows.
I do not want to interrupt the Parliamentary Secretary, but it might be easier for him if I ask him now whether he is able to say at what date any of those surveys or designs will see the light of day?
I cannot give anything definite in regard to that.
I thought it would be easier to ask now than at the end.
A survey of the Boyne was commenced in 1956. It will not be completed for a further two to three years. A survey of the Broadmeadow minor catchment, Counties Dublin and Meath, has just been commenced. The next scheme for survey is the Killimor River, County Galway, which will be undertaken as soon as the staffing position permits.
That is the position as far as arterial drainage is concerned. It is a very big question. Staff is also a problem. When a staff is on the field survey, it takes considerable time and then when the designing and plotting are being taken, some of the staff has to be taken to the office in Dublin. That covers a considerable period, too. Then there is all the routine connected with exhibition and, of course, the most difficult of all is to get the confirmation of the Minister for Finance.
Deputy Sweetman asked, in regard to the Corrib, whether the work between the lake and the sea would be completed in the near future. I cannot give him that information. He asked whether, if not, the release of the water from the upper reaches would aggravate the position. That is information I cannot give him at present. I have not made any inquiry as to that because, as he knows and as Deputy Geoghegan should know also, the work is in charge of a resident engineer. It is being carried out according to plan and design. I expect that the resident engineer and his assistants are doing their best and doing it in the proper way and with the least possible injury to anybody. I am sure that that is going to continue.
Deputy Sweetman also mentioned something about the Rossmanagher embankments. That work is in progress. I explained the amount of money which had been expended and the amount of money which was estimated towards the carrying out of that work. I have also given an explanation of the position regarding the Deale and the Swillyburn. The Rye is also nearly completed.
I was asked by Deputies Sweetman and Allen if the report of the American expert would be published. Deputy Sweetman was quite correct in the date on which the final report was received, the 20th August, 1956. I have been informed that the Government have decided to publish the report and place some copies of it in the Library, but I do not think it will be distributed here, there and everywhere.
That is not necessary.
I do not think that is expected. Further than that, I cannot state what the outcome of it will be. That is as much as I can say. I am thankful to Deputy Sweetman, who did not press me on the matter. He said he did not believe it was my function, that it had to be decided at a higher level.
The Deputy mentioned something about Appropriations-in-Aid on Vote 9 and asked why there was a decrease. Last year's figure of £24,500 for 1956-57 and £3,500 balance for the year 1955-56. This year's Estimate contains only £21,000 for 1957-58. Any expenditure on the Glyde and Dee in 1957-58 will not be recoverable until 1958-59. I am not in a position to state when the Blace River or the tributaries mentioned by Deputy Killilea will be undertaken, if these have not been included already. I just have not all the details of the scheme. I would need to have a map or something like that in front of me in referring to it, to be able to give all the particulars but I am sure it will be taken into account. The fact that the main scheme, according to the date on which it would be completed, will take until 1965, despite all this massive machinery and this huge fleet we hear is on the Corrib, gives some idea that the Black River and some of the tributaries will have to wait a while.
Deputy Geoghegan talked about drains. Again I would need a map to know whether they are included in the design or not. I think it would be too much to expect the State, after the expenditure of £2,120,000, to do every drain in the country. I shall not make any promise on that score. There are other ways and there are grants under the land reclamation scheme and other schemes which I think could be availed of in many instances, perhaps without asking for any State grant. Some of the drains which some people would expect to have done, in my opinion they should try to do themselves.
Deputy O'Reilly mentioned the Erne. I am sure the Commissioners would be delighted if they could undertake the Erne, but that is a Border river and there is some big difficulty there. I suppose there would be a good deal of negotiation involved. As far as I know, this Northern Government is not as inclined to spend a big amount of money on drainage as we have been, nor have they done anything like what has been done on this side of the Border so far as drainage is concerned. I do not think there are any other points.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary tell me whether any negotiations have taken place with the Northern Government in relation to the drainage of this river?
I do not think so, in recent years anyhow, but I think there were some negotiations in respect of other rivers. How they have worked out I am not at the moment in a position to say. I am not very long back in 51 Stephen's Green, but I shall make inquiries and shall let the Deputy know.
On the point raised by Deputy Allen regarding schools in Wexford, as he is aware, it is the Department of Education which provides the plans and designs of schools to meet local requirements. The Board of Works actually is only the agent to carry out the job. As far as the Christian Brothers' school is concerned, I shall make inquiries and I shall let the Deputy know how the matter stands.
