Vol. 179 No. 2
asked the Minister for Lands whether the Land Commission have made any further inspection of conditions in the Shannon valley to ascertain whether the present £100,000 scheme needs revision in the light of the recent serious flooding; and, if so, if he will make a statement on the matter.
85.
asked the Minister for Lands what progress has been made to date in carrying out the £100,000 scheme in the Shannon valley; and when the present scheme is likely to be completed.
I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 84 and 85 together.
The Land Commission scheme for amelioration of conditions in the Shannon Valley is not a scheme of flood control but is aimed at giving relief from the hazards of flooding, in so far as this can be done, by the provision of new buildings on higher sites, together with dry stands for stock against the risk of abnormal floods.
Continuous progress is being made towards implementation of the scheme. The Land Commission have had conditions in the Shannon Valley under observation in the light of the recent flooding and are satisfied that no major revision in their main proposals is necessary, apart from review of building sites proposed by the landholders in about 4 per cent. of the cases.
New or reconstructed dwellinghouses are already well under way for some 75 farmers in four counties, while other projected works are under contracts. Altogether, buildings are proposed for some 100 farmers in the vulnerable stretches of the Shannon Valley, and, in addition, the improvement of approach roads is being undertaken.
The migration of a limited number of landholders to other counties is also involved and, to date, five such exchanges have been carried out. Allotments of land on higher ground as secure stands for stock have already been provided for 30 farmers and proposals for further similar allotments are being examined.
Expenditure to date has been £30,000. The rate of progress necessarily will depend on landholders, contractors etc. but, granted full cooperation, the Land Commission are hopeful that the Scheme will be substantially completed by the end of the present year.
May I take it that, if in the light of the recent serious flooding, when an examination is made, it is necessary to increase the amount of money for the £100,000 scheme, the Minister will be prepared to do so in order to take in other individuals for consideration who are not included in that scheme?
My information is that all the people concerned or likely to be affected were investigated and examined by the Land Commission officials As I have indicated, I understand that, in the main, with the possible exception of about four per cent of those concerned, the scheme as visualised by the Land Commission will be adequate. The Deputy will appreciate that in a number of cases in the area, the owners are not, in fact, living on their lands. They are living elsewhere and naturally nothing will be done in their cases.
Has the Minister taken into consideration the fact that where improvement works have already been carried out, namely, the raising of roadways and their improvement, the roadways were again this time submerged by the Shannon, although the indication was that they would be raised above the flood level? Furthermore, is the Minister aware that a number of floats on which the new houses are to be built and on which stands are to be made available for cattle were surrounded by the flood waters?
The Deputy is making a speech.
Does the Minister not consider that at this stage it is rather inexplicable that such sites should have been chosen rather than ones further back from the flood area where there would be no room for doubt?
I have seen a report in a local newspaper on somewhat similar lines. The information given to me does not bear out these allegations. I am told that, in the main, with the exception of one place where there was water to the extent of something like two inches on this occasion, the plans were satisfactory. Some people have refused to accept houses or sites elsewhere. They insist on houses being built on the sites of the old houses. That problem is there, too. As far as I can judge from the information at my disposal, the scheme envisaged by the Land Commission is sufficient to deal with the problem in so far as it can be dealt with in its present form.
