asked the Minister for Finance the present position in relation to the Boyne drainage scheme.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Boyne Drainage Scheme.
12.
The observations received following exhibition are being considered and other necessary preliminaries to the carrying out of the scheme are being attended to. As the legal action referred to in my reply of 14th February, 1968 has not yet been disposed of, I am not in a position at this stage to say when works can be begun.
Has the Parliamentary Secretary been given any indication as to when it is likely to come on?
The current position is that an attempt is being made to resolve the difficulty that has arisen between the landowners, who brought the court action, and the Commissioners and the likelihood is that some sort of settlement will be made as quickly as possible.
It is a long time.
It is much too long for the Commissioners of Public Works. We want to get on with the job as quickly as we can.
Has a decision not been given yet?
The matter is the subject of negotiation now.
I thought it went to court for a decision.
No injunction restraining the Commissioners was, in fact, given but, in an effort to get the drainage operation into action as quickly as possible, we are trying to avoid this by negotiating.
If no injunction was given why dicker with these people?
The Commissioners cannot start the drainage scheme without the agreement of these people because, without such agreement, it would be logical to assume they would attempt to stop the scheme being started.
They certainly will not go out and stand on the river and stop it anyway.