asked the Minister for Local Government if he has yet received a reply from Dublin Corporation and Dublin County Council regarding the proposal by Meath County Council to carry out drainage work on the River Tolka; and, if so, what decision he has made on the Meath County Council's proposal.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Drainage Schemes.
29.
Replies from Dublin Corporation and Dublin County Council regarding this proposal are still awaited.
Would the Minister not agree that, in view of the fact he gave a guarantee to the county council deputation which waited on him over a month ago that he would be able to give them a decision within about a fortnight, it is most unfair that this matter should be allowed to drag on for so long? Can he not get a reply from the two local authorities concerned?
I did not give any such guarantee——
Yes, the Minister did.
——but I think that replies could have been received by now.
They have not been——
That is correct.
——and the Minister has not done anything about it.
I have sent a reminder.
Is the Minister aware that the Meath County Council have decided that if they do not receive a reply before the 1st of June they propose to proceed with the scheme with or without the Minister's approval?
I do not think they do.
Let the Minister just wait and see. It is not Dublin Corporation he is dealing with this time. He cannot knock them out with a wave of his hand.
30.
asked the Minister for Local Government when his Department will proceed to have drainage schemes carried out on the rivers throughout County Sligo and County Leitrim; and when money will be made available for such development, as those schemes are now too expensive to have included under the local improvement scheme grants.
I do not propose to undertake a drainage programme on the lines envisaged by the Deputy.