asked the Minister for Finance if the Office of Public Works is still prepared to abide by an arrangement whereby that Office will supply two machines at a nominal rent to the Ballybofey and Stranorlar Development Association, County Donegal to carry out urgent flood relief work on the river Finn.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Donegal Flood Relief.
45.
I regret that the Commissioners of Public Works have not at present any excavators of suitable size available for hire to the Ballybofey and Stranorlar Development Association. Moreover, because of their increasing commitments in arterial drainage it does not seem likely that the commissioners will have excavators available for hire for some time to come.
Is it true to say that an understanding was definitely arrived at between these people and the Parliamentary Secretary's predecessor? In other words, is the Parliamentary Secretary going back on the word of his predecessor in this matter?
Mr. Kenny
The Parliamentary Secretary is not going back on anybody's word but the association itself are going back on the agreement they tried to make with the Office of Public Works because, when the conditions were laid down before them, they did not accept them.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary state what conditions were unacceptable to the association?
Mr. Kenny
When the formal hire agreements were presented to the association they demurred at some of the conditions mainly on liability for loss, damage or injury arising from the use of the machine. The correspondence lapsed early in 1972.
Did the association not convey to the Office of Public Works on this occasion that there were preliminary works necessary before they undertook the use of the machines which would take some time?
Mr. Kenny
I could not tell the Deputy that.
Surely they have given notice to that effect? Would the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that this was a tremendous gesture in support of community effort?
Mr. Kenny
Yes, it was.
And one that should be encouraged by all means. Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that the machines being sought on that occasion were not suitable for heavy or constant work or movement to another area? They were actually in Donegal and, I understand, are still there.
Mr. Kenny
No, they are not there now. I understand the sentiments of the Deputy very well but, when the conditions were presented to the association, they did not accept them. What then could the Office of Public Works do? Let me say further that the two excavators which were available for hire in 1971 have been allocated to other works. There are now no machines of suitable size available for hire to the association. In fact, with the development of the Boyne works and the starting of the Maigue scheme, it is anticipated that it will be necessary to buy a number of machines of this size in 1976. It would be possible next autumn to hire one machine but for a period of two months only.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary undertake to reconsider this question since he has now partially agreed that a machine would be available for a short time in autumn? Would he consider making the two machines available under the original arrangement? The whole scheme depends on the contribution which the Office of Public Works will make to the carrying out of this work. It is an entirely voluntary effort from money raised locally, voluntary labour and contributions from various people, including the county council itself.
Mr. Kenny
I understand well and appreciate the efforts made by the association but they lost their chance of seizing the opportunity when the machines were offered in 1971. Correspondence lapsed in 1972 and nothing has been heard of it since. I will look it up again. I will communicate with the Deputy and he can then communicate with the association.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that there was also some problem about getting the engineers from the Office of Public Works to co-operate fully with the engineers from the local authority? Would he further agree that they were not of the same mind as to what form the scheme should take and that that was the reason why there was a delay?
Mr. Kenny
The association had also sought the services of the Office of Public Works engineer for the survey, design and supervision of the work to be done. These were refused and eventually the county council made an engineer available. But the information at the disposal of the Office of Public Works—hydrographic data and so on — was made available to the association and to the engineer from the county council. Therefore, it is wrong to say that the Office of Public Works did not co-operate. They did.
We must pass to the next question.
I recollect that the county council engineer and the Office of Public Works engineer had different opinions as to what might happen downstream.
Mr. Kenny
Yes, he was quite right in that because he did not want to flood the farms further down. They would be responsible then in any kind of action. He was quite right in that. One cannot drain the middle of any stream without flooding people farther down.
Next question, please.
At the end of the river there was only one spot.
This was protection work.