asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware of the recurring flooding at River Row, Moville, County Donegal; and if he will take steps to have the matter corrected.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Donegal River Flooding.
8.
I have no information on the flooding referred to. The Moville area is in the Bredagh River catchment — a small independent catchment not included in the priority lists on which the arterial drainage programme is based. There are no proposals at present for the preparation of an arterial drainage scheme for that catchment.
The flooding in this area has nothing to do with the flooding of a river. It is the tides that are causing the flooding. It is on the edge of the sea and has nothing to do with the Bredagh river.
The Bredagh river is not on a par with the catchment of the national drainage programme.
Obviously, as Deputy Begley says, the Minister is at sea. I wish he was.
Would the Deputy please ask a question?
I am not asking the Minister about the priority listing of the Bredagh river. I am asking about flooding at River Row, Moville. For the benefit of the Minister, River Row is on the very edge of the coast at Lough Foyle. Tidal flooding is causing the problem and it has nothing to do with river flooding. Could the Minister take the matter up again with his Department and write to me about it and give the correct reply?
Although it is not possible positively to identify River Row, Moville, the area in the Bredagh catchment outfall enters Lough Foyle.
I do not know how the Minister can tell the House that it is not possible to identify River Row, Moville. It has been there for the last 100 years.
A question, please, Deputy.
It is a group of single storey houses below the level of the town almost at sea level. It is now subject to flooding.
Would the Deputy please ask a question?
I am asking a question.
The Deputy is making a statement.
The Minister never heard of the area.
I am asking the Minister what he is going to do about the recurring flooding. If the Minister does not believe the area is there if he comes up over Christmas I will show it to him. It was there last Saturday night.
The Commissioners of Public Works have no information on the record about drainage conditions——
I am not talking about drainage conditions but about flooding.
A final supplementary. We are not going to have a debate on Question No. 8.
My question is about flooding and has nothing to do with drainage.
What is in the script, Minister?
I read out what is in the script and I said my Department do not know anything about drainage in that area.
I am not talking about drainage. My question is about flooding. Would somebody please tell the Minister that I am asking about flooding?
Question No. 9.
Would the Minister not consider that there are families there who will be flooded over Christmas time while he is talking about the drainage of a river?