A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, as you yourself remarked, I have no responsibility for the Board of Works, and I am also at a loss to know why this matter should be raised on the adjournment. The Deputy got a full reply to the Question which he put down on the Order Paper, and he had another Question on it yesterday, to which he also got a full reply. Therefore, he is aware that this matter is being dealt with as a matter of urgency by the Office of Public Works. It is all very well for the Deputy to say that a decision should be taken, immediately a leak develops, to lay a new watermain, but unfortunately a Minister cannot take that attitude. The question of the cost to public funds, of the time such an operation might take, and other technical matters, have to be examined in the public interest. I and my Department would be failing in our duties if we adopted the irresponsible attitude Deputy Corry would like us to adopt, and immediately on the discovery of a leak, proceeded to lay a new submarine watermain.
The difficulty that developed here was apparently due to some kind of electrolitic action between dissimilar metals used for the bolts and nuts in the cast-iron watermain. The main itself is in perfect condition, but the bolts and nuts have been eaten away, due to this electrolitic action. I think it would be obvious to any reasonable person that the reasonable approach to this matter is to see what alternative alloys and metals can be used to avoid the same thing happening again. I am aware that it would be of no concern to the Deputy if it were necessary to lay a new main every second year, but unfortunately the public finances have to bear the cost. Therefore it is obviously desirable, before embarking on a scheme such as that, that all due investigations should be carried out, and the reasonable approach was adopted of referring the matter to the Institute of Industrial Research and Standards, as the Deputy is well aware, so we could have the benefit of their advice as to what should be done.
I know the Deputy thinks we should not have done that, that we should have gone ahead and laid a new watermain regardless of the cost, but I think we took a wise precaution in seeking their advice. When that was available, the matter was referred to the Office of Public Works and, as he was told today, following some discussion and correspondence with the Office of Public Works, it was finally agreed on 19th October that they should deal, as a matter of urgency, with either the major repair, or replacement of the main, whichever should be found to be the more feasible and reasonable solution.
We are all aware of the fact that there is a major industry situated on the island. It so happens that that industry does purchase some of the Department's surplus water supply. We happen to have a surplus available, but the Department of Defence is not a public authority, and has no inherent responsibility for supplying water to any industry. It just happens it is available and we do supply it, but the industry concerned is one of the interests involved in the question as to whether a new main, or the repair of the existing one, should be undertaken.
That industry is not prepared to adopt the same irresponsible attitude as Deputy Corry. Before considering what contribution they should make to the cost of rectifying the fault, they desired to be informed, first of all, of the costs of the different alternatives available. I think that was a reasonable attitude on their part, and also that they should insist on knowing what the likelihood was of its being a permanent solution, and the cost involved. That is the position at the moment. We are aware that all these bolts are in a very bad condition, and every effort is being made to have the matter rectified at the earliest possible date. The Office of Public Works will now deal with the problem and I have no doubt they are treating it with the urgency it demands.
The Dáil adjourned at 5.15 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 2nd December, 1959.
