asked the Minister for Finance the progress that has been made on the cost/benefit analysis of the rivers on the arterial drainage list which was commenced some years ago.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Arterial Drainage.
31.
Mr. Kenny
The cost/benefit study of drainage proposals for the Maigue catchment has been completed and when the report has been edited I shall arrange to have it available in the Dáil Library. The study for the Corrib-Mask-Robe area is well advanced.
In this study have all the rivers listed for arterial drainage treatment been completed?
Mr. Kenny
No. Before further arterial drainage is carried out a cost/ benefit analysis must be carried out on the particular catchment.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that in the time of his predecessor, in relation to rivers far down the list, probably about 25th or 26th, as far as my recollection serves me, 2½ or 3 years ago a cost/ benefit analysis was to be put in hand? Such does not seem to have happened and is not likely to happen in the foreseeable future.
Mr. Kenny
No, it is not likely to happen.
Are we to take it these rivers low down on the list are not likely to be done for many years to come?
Mr. Kenny
The Deputy is confused about this. The rivers are surveyed but cost/benefit analysis has not been carried out on the rivers that are far down the list. The first cost/ benefit analysis that was carried out was finished only last October. That was on the Maigue. The second one is on the Corrib-Mask-Robe and that will be finished within a month or two. No other river that is on the list has been cost/benefit surveyed. Does the Deputy understand what I mean?
I understand the Parliamentary Secretary's reply but what I am still trying to find out is what hope there is of rivers that are down the list being done in the foreseeable future. I refer not only to cost/benefit analysis but to actual work being carried out. If cost/benefit analysis has any meaning I take it that the proposition is that quite a number of those on the list may fail on the basis of cost/benefit analysis and will not be regarded as worthy of being drained. Since the process of cost/ benefit analysis appears to be so slow and as only three rivers have so far been subjected to this examination, one would have thought that the others would be in process of being analysed so that they would take their place up the list as others were eliminated.
This is a very long question.
Mr. Kenny
What the Deputy must understand is that under cost-benefit analysis a catchment area has a better chance of being favourably decided upon than under the former method of rule of thumb.
Which?
This is a very large issue. It cannot be debated here.
Mr. Kenny
May I make one further point of clarification? Under cost-benefit analysis the rivers that have not been done stand a better chance of having a favourable decision given in respect of them than under the former method of rule of thumb.
I am sorry for persisting in this. May I ask the Parliamentary Secretary whether in the application of the cost-benefit analysis procedure consideration is given to the areas in which lands would be made useful by drainage where land is more scarce than in other areas?
Mr. Kenny
Yes.
Consideration is being given to that matter?
Mr. Kenny
This is a very complicated subject. I will meet the Deputy and I will give him a full and accurate explanation. I can give the information but I cannot supply the comprehension here.
I would be glad if the Parliamentary Secretary would.
32.
asked the Minister for Finance the expenditure on arterial drainage over each of the last ten years.
Mr. Kenny
The reply is in the form of a tabular statement which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to have circulated with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
|
Year |
Total expenditure |
|
1965/66 |
1,597,864 |
|
1966/67 |
1,351,628 |
|
1967/68 |
1,420,710 |
|
1968/69 |
1,594,457 |
|
1969/70 |
1,672,058 |
|
1970/71 |
2,011,744 |
|
1971/72 |
1,901,895 |
|
1972/73 |
1,909,647 |
|
1973/74 |
2,302,617 |
|
1974/74 (9 months) |
2,117,582 |
33.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will arrange for the provision of a dragline to clean the Barrow River which flows from Ballinderry Lake in Westmeath in a south-easterly direction towards Parkwood, Kilcurley, Tully and Tubber in County Westmeath and which is causing considerable flooding in the lands in the Tully area, County Offaly.
Mr. Kenny
The condition of the Barrow (or Burrow) River as well as other drainage channels of the Brosna drainage scheme is kept continually under observation by the Commissioners of Public Works. It is, in fact, functioning adequately as a drainage channel and does not require cleaning at present.
The Parliamentary Secretary said that from the information available to him the river does not need cleaning. The people who have land in the area tell me that it does need cleaning in the Offaly end, the Tully area. They say that a drain going through their lands there is in bad condition. I have not seen it. I am going on what the landowners tell me.
Mr. Kenny
One should always take the advice of one's constituents. This is the information I have: two-thirds of the river were cleaned last year; the remaining one-third was not in need of cleaning then nor does it require cleaning this year. There is no evidence of flooding at present nor were any complaints received during the winter.
Of course, the Parliamentary Secretary knows it would not need it now.
34.
andMr. Noonan asked the Minister for Finance if he has been requested to receive a deputation from Limerick County Council to discuss (a) conditions affecting bridge works at Barringston Bridge (Mulcair river) (b) flooding at Foynes (c) drainage of Allaughan river and (d) lack of satisfaction with maintenance on arterial drainage; and, if so, when the request was made and if he intends meeting the delegation at an early date.
Mr. Kenny
Such a request was received in December, 1974. I have no objection to receiving the deputation and I hope to be in a position to arrange a date in the near future.