asked the Minister for Finance when it is proposed to start work on the Maigue catchment drainage scheme.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Drainage Schemes.
120.
It is not possible at this stage to indicate when works on the Maigue may commence.
121.
asked the Minister for Finance if he was aware of the very grave hardship caused to farmers whose lands have been damaged by the operation of the Moy drainage scheme; and if he will take the necessary steps to have compensation paid as soon as possible.
In view of the way the question is framed, I think it is well to point out that the Moy drainage scheme is being carried out primarily for the benefit of the farmers concerned and that it has brought a great improvement to the lands affected. Inevitably some damage to riparian land has resulted from the deposition of spoil, etc., and all such claims are investigated and compensation is paid where genuine loss can be proved. Many such claims have already been settled but there are about 200 still outstanding and they will be dealt with in due course.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary tell the House whether he has had any opportunity of discussing with Roadstone Ltd. or other analogous companies the practicability of removing this spoil in certain suitable cases for conversion into road or building materials?
I have not personally had any discussions with Roadstone but I did ask the Commissioners to investigate the disposal of spoil by every possible means. This would probably be done through Roadstone and local authorities. I asked them to investigate any such method for getting rid of the stuff.
Perhaps the Parliamentary Secretary would be in a position to tell us of any discussion between him and a commercial company engaged in this kind of activity who, I suggest, might be prepared, even at some loss of profit to themselves, to assist the Parliamentary Secretary in the solution of this extremely difficult question of spoil on small holdings.
If the Deputy puts down a question, I am sure I will be able to give him some information on it.
I asked this on two previous occasions.
Surely this was debated before in this House?
We are simply making suggestions that might be of assistance.
It is a difficult problem as the Deputy knows.
Yes, we all know.
122.
asked the Minister for Finance when the River Shannon will be drained.
The detailed investigation of the Shannon drainage problem has begun but this will take a long time and I cannot say when the actual drainage operations will take place.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that in 1964 at a comhairle cheantar meeting in Castlerea, the Minister for Justice promised that the Shannon, the Suck and two other rivers should be drained immediately and the next morning the Irish Press carried banner headlines?
That is not true.
I doubt if the Minister made that statement.
He did. When there is an election in the West, you promise the Shannon will be drained immediately.
At the same meeting he promised that the turnover tax would apply to nothing but jewels, motor cars and furs.
Deputy L'Estrange obviously does not understand the nature of a drainage scheme at all. When he speaks of someone promising it would begin immediately, obviously he does not know how it works. The first thing is a survey, which takes a long time.
The gentleman in the Park must not know how it works either because he promised it 20 years ago. Ask Deputy Seán Dunne about it. He will tell you the full story.
Perhaps the Deputy did not hear the reply I gave. The investigations for the survey are going on at present.
Why did the Minister not tell that to his followers before the by-election in 1964 when he promised that both the Suck and the Shannon would be drained immediately?
The survey.
I am afraid Deputy L'Estrange does not want to have the Shannon drained.
If some of the people over there could suck as well as they blow, the Shannon would be drained long ago.