asked the Minister for Finance whether the drainage survey of the Dromore river in County Monaghan has been completed; and whether drainage works will now be undertaken on this river.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Drainage of Dromore (Monaghan) River.
37.
The Dromore River has been surveyed. The carrying out of drainage works on it must await the scheme under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945 for the River Erne catchment area which is being investigated.
As the Parliamentary Secretary is aware, this is not the first occasion on which an inquiry has been made in regard to the Dromore River. Could the Parliamentary Secretary, on the occasion of his first answer to this House in his new office, break precedent and be a little more specific as to the date on which he hopes to give relief to the persons living beside this river whose lands are habitually flooded?
I am afraid the Dromore River is part of a comprehensive catchment area. It is part of the Erne catchment, and the Deputy will appreciate it would hardly be either economic or wise to upset the general survey which is being carried out with a view to having a scheme for the entire area put into operation as soon as possible.
Is there not a survey in the Parliamentary Secretary's Office which shows that it is quite possible, by using balancer lakes in the stream, to give very material ad interim relief to the people living on the banks of this river pending the undertaking of the comprehensive Erne scheme? Is it not so that this relief could be given without any interference with the main arterial drainage problem of that catchment area?
I do not agree it could be done without any interference with the main catchment scheme. The river has been surveyed and it has been found that, for the limited relief which could be effected, the cost would be proportionately expensive— much more than it would be if it is done as part of the comprehensive scheme. It is, in fact, being fitted into the general survey at the moment.
The Parliamentary Secretary is learning the language of the Office of Public Works all too soon.