asked the Minister for Finance if the Office of Public Works have prepared drainage schemes for attention when moneys are made available under the EEC regional development fund.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Drainage Schemes.
81.
Mr. Kenny
If it transpires that arterial drainage schemes would qualify for any regional fund assistance that may be made available the Commissioners of Public Works have proposals for such schemes which could be submitted for consideration.
Would it not have been better had the Office of Public Works submitted those schemes taking into account the statement by Commissioner Thomson that studies and reports within the committees of parliaments of member States would be ready by the end of the year?
Mr. Kenny
There are many proposals ready to absorb any money that may be forthcoming. I wish we were sure that arterial drainage could be included for regional funds because I would be only too delighted to use those funds for that work.
Commissioner Thomson said that any project of a cross-border nature would qualify. That is very much on in drainage. There is drainage of a cross-border nature in my area. If it is true that arterial drainage would qualify it is a pity that the Office of Public Works did not submit these plans so that they could be included this year.
Mr. Kenny
I do not think Commissioner Thomson specifically included arterial drainage.
The Commissioner referred to projects of a cross-border nature and arterial drainage comes under this heading.
Mr. Kenny
Did the Commissioner specify arterial drainage?
He did not but he referred to projects of a cross-border nature. It is a pity that the Office of Public Works did not submit to the Commissioner, and to our members of the European Parliament, such recommendations.
Mr. Kenny
We had no right to submit arterial drainage schemes for inclusion because most of the agricultural projects were included under the FEOGA fund.
The regional development fund is completely different.
Mr. Kenny
The regional fund did not include arterial drainage. If it did I would have made use of the funds available.
This is argument.
The Parliamentary Secretary should make an effort to have arterial drainage schemes included.
Mr. Kenny
That effort will be made. This question was answered before by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and he informed the House that arterial drainage was not specifically included for regional funds. I will do everything possible to have arterial drainage included.
82.
asked the Minister for Finance the present position with regard to the drainage of the White River in County Limerick.
Mr. Kenny
The White River is a small catchment and is not included in the priority lists. While the need for drainage in smaller catchments is appreciated, the best use can be made of available resources and the national drainage problem more quickly resolved by concentrating on the catchments included in the settled priority lists which have been upheld by successive Governments.
I regret, therefore, that I cannot say when this catchment may be reached in the arterial drainage programme.
83.
asked the Minister for Finance the progress that has been made to date on the drainage of the River Maigue, upstream from Adare, County Limerick.
Mr. Kenny
In accordance with a settled programme of works, operations on the Maigue River upstream of Adare Bridge will commence in early spring, 1975.
Questions Nos. 84 to 86, inclusive, postponed.