asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware of the present unsatisfactory state of the River Liffey along the city quays; and whether it is proposed to remedy the position.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - State of River Liffey.
66.
I gave an account of the various drainage and treatment works in hands, or proposed to be undertaken by Dublin Corporation to remedy pollution in the Liffey in the course of the debate in Private Members' Time on the Second Stage of the Waters Preservation Bill on 18th April, 1972 (columns 455 and 456 of the Official Report for that date).
Since then the corporation have in addition and at my request undertaken work on clearing away mudbanks from the river downstream from Seán Heuston Bridge and this work is proceeding.
May I congratulate the Department on having the work started at Seán Heuston Bridge? I may mention that Deputy Dowling and I during the debate on the Estimate for the Office of Public Works suggested that the Minister might take over the care of the Liffey. At the moment the corporation, the Port and Docks Board, Kildare County Council——
The Deputy is not asking a question.
The work has started there and would the Parliamentary Secretary consider the suggestion that the Office of Public Works take over care of the Liffey and out of the hands of the four bodies?
That would be for Local Government to decide, not the Office of Public Works.
This is something to which I could not give an answer.