andMr. Mullen asked the Minister for Transport and Power if, having regard to the considerable unrest as to the future of the Grand Canal, he will make a comprehensive statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Grand Canal.
8.
As already announced by the Minister for Local Government, his Department have informed the Dublin City Manager that the temporary closing of the Dublin City section of the Grand Canal for the purpose of laying sewerage drains under the canal and of restoring the canal over the drains has been agreed, in principle. I am informed that the City Manager has instructed the City Engineer to proceed with the design of the scheme and to recommend the engagement of consultants as necessary.
Under the provisions of the Transport Act, 1958, the canal or any part of it cannot be closed to navigation unless public navigation has ceased for a period of three years and it seems, therefore, that legislation to enable the Corporation to carry out the work will be necessary.
The Minister may be aware that there is considerable unrest among a certain section of our people with regard to what is stated to be a temporary closure of the canal for the purpose of laying pipes. Could the Minister indicate how long the canal will be closed and could he give an assurance that the work carried out will not interfere with or destroy the banks of the canal along the——
Along the banks.
——and also that the trees along the banks of the section of the canal it is intended to close will not be interfered with?
Can the Minister say when he hopes to introduce the legislation and will the legislation contain a specific date for temporary closing so that everybody can see that it was purely exemption from the existing legislation for a period only?
All these questions are under examination at the moment. I imagine it would take anything from 12 to 18 months before it might be necessary to close the canal, even after the necessary studies have been made, and further, of course, the studies have to be made in such a way that the Minister for Local Government would be certain that his conditions for closing the canal were carried out. In other words, the design would have to be presented and the Minister would have to be convinced that when the sewers were laid down, the replacing of the water over the sewers would result in the amenity being preserved. All that has to be gone into. Therefore there has to be some report from the Dublin Corporation in regard to that matter, but there is no urgency whatever in regard to the passing of legislation, as I imagine it would be at least 12 to 18 months before all these things could be examined.
When are we going to see the legislation, all the same?
Is the Minister stating that unless he gets these assurances, permission to close the canal will not be given?
The Minister for Local Government will have to have a report provided for him. He will have to have a report which would indicate that the proposal which has been made is feasible; in other words, that it is possible to lay sewers along the canal and replace the water in a way which will preserve the amenities of the canal and preserve it as a navigable canal and obviously the Minister will have to be informed on this before he can be certain what the final eventuality will be.
What I am saying is that unless the Minister for Local Government can be satisfied that these things can be preserved and that the canal will be reopened, he will not agree to the proposal.
I would say the Minister would have to examine the whole proposition. The whole basis of it is that the amenity of the canal must be preserved.
Could the Minister say what the approximate cost of this job will be and could he also indicate whether or not any credence is to be given to the statements that this job can be done without closing the canal by utilising the right hand side of the canal going into the city?
I am not able to give any technical details as to whether or not one side of the canal can be used or the other. That forms part of the study. It would be very difficult to give an estimate of the cost of laying sewers and restoring the canal. There is a very vague estimate that I would not rely on particularly of £2,346,000 but I think that again would have to be gone into because there are a lot of things that have to be examined.
Even though you cannot rely on it it goes to the figure six. It is not £2,340,000, but £2,346,000.
From what source?
The Dublin Corporation.
I am sure I will pay it in the end.
Good man.
I do not want to misquote Dublin Corporation on this because this is based on what can be seen but when it comes to examining what soil conditions lie under the canal, making all the borings of the canal and ensuring that the water will not disappear from the canal, there may be a different estimate.
You may eventually close the canal.
It will be as bad as draining the Shannon.