asked the Minister for Lands if the Land Commission will contribute towards the cost of cleaning a drain running along the estate, Record No. S. 26380, County Meath, as there are a number of shores running from the estate into the drain.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Meath Drain.
53.
(Cavan): The Land Commission are not prepared to contribute to the cost of cleaning the drain in question.
Will the Minister not agree that it would be of great benefit to the Land Commission farm as well as to the farmer? There are quite a number of shores coming from the old land drains on this estate into this drain and the farmer doing this work is doing it as any neighbours would, joining together, and pay half the cost over and above the grant.
(Cavan): I have to inform the Deputy that a very full report which I have received on the matter indicates that the Land Commission would derive no benefit from the proposed drainage operations and it is on that report that the Land Commission have declined to contribute.
I understand that drainage work was done years ago on this Land Commission farm and if these old drains, which I grant are mostly closed at present, were sunk and opened up again, these shores would start running again and it would be of advantage to the Land Commission farm.
(Cavan): I can only repeat that the report which I have received from the officials in my Department indicates that no benefit would be derived by the Land Commission by draining operations. Accordingly, the expenditure of public funds would not be justified. If it is any help to the Deputy I can tell him that the Land Commission have no objection to the person he is interested in entering on the Land Commission's land to do some work.
On the point of good neighbourliness would he not, as one neighbour to another, contribute some amount towards the cost of this drainage?
(Cavan): The Deputy will agree that one neighbour would hardly put his hand in his pocket to help another neighbour unless it is likely to do him some good. My advice is that the Land Commission would not benefit here and I cannot put the matter any further than that.