asked the Minister for Finance what are the current priorities for major, minor and intermediate drainage schemes; and, if there is no priority list for the last schemes mentioned, if he will give the names of the rivers for which application has been received.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Drainage Scheme Priorities.
17.
The priority lists of major and minor catchments were published in the Official Report of 7th February, 1963, Volume 199, columns 1251 and 1252.
A priority list of intermediate river schemes has not been drawn up. There is a large number of these rivers and sufficient information about them is not readily available to enable a priority list to be settled. It is not practicable to give the names of all the rivers in the intermediate category in respect of which applications for drainage have been received but about 400 were noted for consideration.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary seriously suggest that because lists were published in 1963, seven years ago, Deputies should look back through the reference? It would take a much shorter time for the Parliamentary Secretary to say he would publish the list in the Official Report. I would ask the Parliamentary Secretary to be courteous enough to put the list in the Official Report.
There are some 30 rivers listed and I have given the reference. The list is available in the Library for any Deputy who wants it.
I would ask the Parliamentary Secretary to give the list in the current Official Report.
These priority lists have not been changed since 1963 and they will not be changed by me. That is why I gave the reference.
Have they been added to since 1963?
They have not been added to. As I explained last Thursday, and the Deputy was present, the major part of the money is going into the major catchments. Some minor catchments are being done. Intermediate catchments are suspended in order to get a better return.
Intermediate catchments are the ones that are fixed up on the Q.T. That is the reason why the Parliamentary Secretary will not give the list. We know all about that.