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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 19 Mar 1981

Vol. 327 No. 11

Estimates, 1981. - Vote 9: Public Works and Buildings (Resumed).

Debate resumed on the following motion:
That a sum not exceeding £67,971,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 1981, for the salaries and expenses of the Office of Public Works; for certain domestic expenses; for expenditure in respect of public buildings; for the maintenance of certain parks and public works; for the execution and maintenance of drainage and other engineering works; and for payment of a grant-in-aid.
—(Minister for Finance).

Before I moved the adjournment of this debate last week I was referring to the general conditions in Leinster House. I complimented those involved on the good features that exist here and I complained about the changes that are needed. We in Fine Gael find it hard to get the necessary telephone extensions on request from whatever section is supposed to deal with this matter. Due to some rearrangement of the staff that is taking place at present in our rooms and in the rooms on the second floor of the old building a request was made for more power points but there is some delay in providing them. The Minister of State should investigate those matters and have them attended to. I am of the opinion that the general condition and cleanliness of the House should be attended to. Some of the facilities opened here recently, such as the bar, were left unfinished. In the bar a radiator is propped up and is not connected while another radiator is still in the condition it was when delivered to Leinster House by the supplier. The person responsible should attend to these matters. This House, the home of the national parliament, should in general have a better standard of cleanliness than at present. I hope this matter is looked into.

I am particularly interested in the question of arterial drainage. It seems that the Government do not have a commitment in that direction because the amount of money being spent on one aspect or another of arterial drainage or on cost-benefit analyses or surveys has not increased to keep pace with inflation. In fact, the amount has been reduced somewhat. I note that in 1980 £105,000 was provided for arterial drainage surveys and that this year it is proposed to spend £110,000. In 1980 £95,000 was spent on comprehensive drainage surveys, including cost-benefit analysis and cost-benefit investigation, and this year it is proposed to spend £100,000. The scene is the same in relation to arterial construction work.

As the Minister of State is aware, over two years ago we got a package of £42 million from the EEC and it was decided then that £28 million would be spent on field drainage with the remaining £14 million being spent on arterial drainage. It was also stated at the time that every pound we spent on those schemes — we are not too concerned with the £28 million now because field drainage comes under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture — would be matched pound for pound by the Government. I should like to know where the £14 million was spent or how much of it has been spent to date? Did we back it pound for pound? When the scheme was announced the people of Galway complained that not one shilling that was allocated for arterial drainage would be spent in that county. We are also under the impression that that money is not being backed pound for pound. I would not totally rely on what we get from the EEC. As far as arterial drainage is concerned we should have a special allocation annually of about £20 million.

It is hard to identify who is responsible for the running of the Office of Public Works. If it is being run by the commissioners I am not happy that it is being run in a proper fashion. The Minister of State should introduce a certain amount of imagination and his own thinking into the working of the Office of Public Works in relation to arterial drainage. I cannot say that that was done by his predecessor. Have the Government a commitment or a will - they must also have the political conviction - to carry out arterial drainage schemes? I am a farmer from an agricultural area where an extensive arterial drainage extension was carried out and I am in a position to state that the benefits from such work are enormous. If we are concerned to increase agricultural production here the natural thing to do would be to remove the water from our land. If that is done those whose land was flooded will be in a position to avail of the other grants available. If the arterial drainage scheme is not carried out it will not be possible for the farming community to avail of the field drainage grants.

It was represented to us in the House, and reported in the newspapers by Deputies Geoghegan-Quinn and Hussey and by every Minister or Minister of State west of the Shannon, from west Cork to Donegal, the great work the promised £300 million would do for our infrastructures and so forth. We were told that some of it would be devoted to arterial drainage and that the work would start on 1 January this year. We do not know where that money is going to go and unless we have a definite programme to carry out drainage work close to all our rivers, big and small, a lot of the money we are supposed to be getting from the EEC will go towards field drainage. Even if we had an announcement to the effect that the money was on the way, we could think in terms of spending it, though I suspect that a large portion of it will be diverted towards farm drainage. However, if the Office of Public Works fail to do the groundwork in advance, the farmers will not be in a position to avail of this money.

Because of the size of the Estimate for this office — almost £68 million — I suggest that a Minister of State from some other Department be appointed to the office in addition to the one there already and that this additional Minister be made responsible for arterial drainage and for drainage generally. Indeed, I would go further and suggest that that drainage which is undertaken by local authorities under local improvement schemes be transferred to a section of the Office of Public Works which, if my suggestion were to be adopted, would be dealing exclusively with drainage while the other section of the office would deal with such matters as buildings, the restoration of ancient monuments, archeological finds and so on. I might mention that I was pleased to hear today on the news bulletin that there has been a further find of a large number of objects at Derrynaflan. It would be much more satisfactory for the office to be divided into two parts as I have outlined with, of course, that part dealing with drainage working in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture where necessary.

So far as drainage is concerned, this whole area could usefully be categorised in three parts. Basically the three categories involved might be one dealing with schemes of 100,000 acres or more, another dealing with schemes of between 50,000 acres and 100,000 acres, and yet another dealing with schemes of up to 50,000 acres and which would include those small schemes that now come within the ambit of the local authorities. I suggest also that a complete survey be carried out of the entire country with a view to ascertaining the needs within each of the three such categories. The primary necessity is to identify the problem. The Office of Public Works seem to be reluctant to do this, but it is necessary that it be done. It is possible that at some stage in the future we will receive a flush of money from the EEC. It is possible also that with a change of Government here, with a new Government who would have a definite policy, we could get back to the days when there were a few pounds to spend. Perhaps we will be granted a specific sum of money from the EEC for the specific purpose of drainage, but if such money were to come our way now we would not be in a position to use it because of the failure of the Office of Public Works to do the basic groundwork. If the Minister of State were to do little else during his tenure of office but to ensure that this groundwork is carried out and that drainage is divided into the categories I have mentioned, he would be doing a good day's work.

At least the Minister should try to do something in this whole area of drainage during his time in office instead of allowing the Office of Public Works to continue in their happy-go-lucky way without having any particular commitment to arterial drainage.

I hope that, when replying, the Minister will be able to tell me how much of the £14 million we received from the EEC has been spent on arterial drainage, in what areas it has been spent and whether we backed it pound for pound. The amount being spent in this area decreases each year in real terms. I suspect that we are not living up to the conditions under which the £14 million was paid to us.

There are a couple of specific items in the sphere of arterial drainage on which I should like to comment. Generally speaking, the arrangement whereby maintenance work is undertaken by the Office of Public Works but paid for by the local authorities has been satisfactory, though there are a few exceptions in this regard. Before Christmas I referred here to the condition of the Cregg river at Corrandula, County Galway. This river is very much silted up with the result that the arterial drainage scheme that was undertaken there in the past is not as effective as it would be otherwise. I was promised by the Office of Public Works that maintenance work on the river would be undertaken in 1980 but that has not happened. This work would involve cutting weeds and generally clearing away the silt. But it was not done. I talked about it in the House last year. I talked about it when the Supplementary Estimate was introduced before Christmas and no effort has been made since. I can appreciate that this is a difficult time to carry out maintenance on that river.

There is also a problem in the Tuam area regarding a tributary of the Clare known as the Nanny. Work was done on part of the Nanny under the Connaught-Clare drainage scheme and stopped in about 1960 for the simple reason that the Nanny was and is being used as a water supply for the town of Tuam. But between the Office of Public Works and Galway County Council we are getting nowhere. Much effort has been made by politicians of all parties to get the Office of Public Works and Galway County Council together on this matter with a view to draining the river. Years ago money was allocated for it. I assume that it was spent in another direction since the Nanny could not be drained at the time. The people in that area are getting very militant because so many years have gone by. This drainage scheme has been closed down since October 1964; that is a long long time and still we are getting no co-operation between the Office of Public Works and Galway County Council with a view to completing the drainage of the River Nanny. I would ask the Minister of State to pay some attention to what I am saying and to get something done about it this year.

Since I came into this House I have contributed to this debate in one way or another. I have talked about the Dunkellin and I am going to talk about it again now. As far back as 1972, almost nine years ago, the then Parliamentary Secretary in charge of that office, the late Deputy Lemass, put it in writing that work would start later that year. This is 1981 and nothing has happened yet. We were informed in 1980 that there was a lack of engineering staff in the Office of Public Works. Generally people make a laugh out of the Office of Public Works. Whether it was the commissioners or the present occupant of the post who made that statement, they are only making a laugh of themselves by saying something like that. These are basically two small rivers with a total catchment area of 91,000 acres, about 14,500 acres of which are severely flooded. The average farm size in the area is about 35 acres and the number of farmers is 2,700. Perhaps the Minister might tell me what effort has been made since we last talked about the Dunkellin with a view to recruiting the necessary staff with the necessary expertise to carry out a cost-benefit analysis of the Dunkellin. I listened to the Minister recently here in this House and there was an announcement that we were getting about £400,000 from the EEC for cost benefit analysis.

The Deputy is talking about the Shannon.

I am getting around to the Shannon.

The Deputy is making a mistake.

We are talking about that £400,000. Did the EEC direct the Government to spend it on a cost benefit analysis of the Shannon?

On a survey.

With what in view?

The Minister will be replying later on.

We can get into a question and answer session.

Not on your life. We cannot allow that to happen. The Minister should not interrupt.

I know he should not but I do not mind the interruptions if I can get some information from him and that is a difficult thing to do. There was talk about this £400,000. I cannot see anything wrong with spending a certain amount of that on a cost benefit analysis of the Dunkellin. But the Minister cannot sell this dummy forever. He cannot play the three card trick forever as far as the Dunkellin is concerned. The Government either have the political will to do it or they have not and it is quite obvious that they have not. The Minister might have a look at it and — wonders never cease to happen — he might do something about it.

I will go on now to talk about the Shannon and this £400,000. Did we request money from the EEC to survey a few rivers or was it specifically to survey the Shannon? I would be inclined to think that it was specifically to survey the Shannon. I do not think the Government have the slightest notion of doing anything with the river Shannon but this is not a bad time to talk about it. There are a few influential people in the Cabinet who started this off. The present Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, Deputy Reynolds, started it when he made a statement in Longford to the effect that the time had come to do something with the river Shannon. If it was after an election rather than in the run up to it those on the banks of the Shannon could, as far as the Minister was concerned, float down along it and he would wave them goodbye. But it is different on the run up to an election and it is a good red herring to wave. The promise made in the 1964 by-election in Roscommon was that the Shannon would be drained. Of course Fianna Fáil could hardly have been expected to carry that out at that time because they did not win that by-election. But if they had won the by-election, would they have carried it out? They were still in office many years after that and nothing has been done about it. I doubt if this £400,000 will ever materialise from the EEC. Even if it did materialise I doubt if it would ever be spent on a survey of the Shannon because the Office of Public Works are spending quite a lot of money on the development of the Shannon as a tourist amenity. If there was £400,000 for a survey of the Shannon and if, as a result of that survey it was found that it was feasible to drain the Shannon, surely when we do not have enough engineers to carry out a cost-benefit analysis on a small stream like the Dunkellin where are we going to get the personnel, suddenly, to carry out a survey of the River Shannon?

Surely if the engineers are not available for the Dunkellin they will not suddenly become available for the Shannon? I think that is a sensible question and perhaps the Minister would get an opportunity to explain this to me. You have them for the Shannon certainly because it suits Deputy Reynolds, Minister for Transport, to talk about the Shannon now in the run-up to an election which must be held before June 1982, so as to convince some people around that area that you will be doing something about it. The Government could not care less if this job were never done and the Office of Public Works have no commitment to arterial drainage. They have no notion of doing anything with the Shannon or with many other schemes but it is a useful gambit at present.

In my capacity as representative of the Fine Gael point of view on the Office of Public Works I have visited Clare and West Cork, Longford and around that area and I found there is an immense amount of work in regard to arterial drainage in all these places that the Board of Works could undertake if they were prepared to do so. There is the Claris river in Longford, the Scariff, the Inagh and many more in Clare. There may be a change in the future but I doubt it very much. This concerns myself; the Finney river was surveyed in connection with the Corrib-Mask-Robe drainage scheme and as a result of the cost-benefit analysis it was decided, according to a letter I have here, that the re-examination of the channel confirmed that conclusion of the scheme could not be justified because it was a very steep river, subject to floods and the survey showed only a small area of damaged lands. There is a drainage scheme at present in progress there and it would require little effort on the part of the Office of Public Works and minimal expense to have some sort of drainage job done on the Finney river. Perhaps as a result of what I have said here today the Minister will consider including it in his list and stop talking about the Shannon which he has no notion of doing. He should spend £10,000 of this money on the Finney and that will satisfy the people in that area.

At Ballyconneely, Co. Galway, there are people living in a house adjoining a little river which drains Truska Lough into the Atlantic. As a result of the water flowing past the house the foundations have been undermined. The people there maintain that the Office of Public Works are responsible and I would ask the Minister to get them to have a look at it with a view to having something done pretty quickly. I think the office are legally responsible and if they do not do something soon they may be held legally responsible for the consequences.

The Office of Public Works deal with piers and harbours. In part of the new constituency that I represent at present and hope to represent after the election there is a complete lack of commitment by the Office of Public Works along the coast of Connemara as regards piers and harbours. There is need for dredging at Clifden particularly to remove the silt. It is necessary to provide a jetty there both for tourism and for the fishing industry. The harbour is so bad at present that one could only get in something like a currach. Facilities have been promised at Cleggan Pier but to date nothing has happened apart from lock gates which were provided when another administration was in power. There has been a large find of magnesium on Boffin Island and the local people think that Cleggan should be used when the mineral is brought to the mainland and they think the Office of Public Works should do something in that connection.

There are also piers at Leenane, Rossroe, Renvyle, Ballinakill, Cleggan, Clifden and Roundstone all of which need dredging, Letterard, Carna, Kilkerrin and Lettermullen and right around to Rossaveal. Works require to be carried out there as no money has been spent there for some time. I have covered a lot of ground but if a certain amount of money could be spent on a few of these places it is very necessary that it should be done in the interests of fishing and tourism. In some cases only slipways are required and perhaps a couple of pilot lights. Ladders are available in some cases but they are totally unsafe as they are almost rusted through. Some of the places I have mentioned are in the Gaeltacht and it is up to that Department to provide the moneys and up to the Office of Public Works to carry out the works. In Galway we thought that when we had a Minister for the Gaeltacht resident in the county we would be on the pig's back but we have found it more of a hindrance than a help to have that Deputy in the office she holds as Minister for the Gaeltacht. There seems to be less money spent in the Gaeltacht than ever before.

There are many other things I should like to mention but time does not permit. I would ask the Minister to pay great attention to what I have said. Finally I refer to the fact that we introduced a National Heritage Bill which was defeated because of Government opposition to it; it did not include this, that or the other thing. That was in June 1980. The Minister then told me on behalf of the Government that they had their own National Heritage Bill which would be much better and it was ready and would come into operation soon. How much further has the Minister got with that National Heritage Bill or with legislation in that area? Our Bill was not a bad one. The Minister could not find very much wrong with it except that it lacked a few things that only Fianna Fáil could put into it. With the whole Civil Service at his command what is holding up the Minister's own Bill which was almost ready last June? We are still waiting to see it on the Statute Book.

I should like to thank the Deputies who contributed to this debate for their wide-ranging and in the main constructive comments. Arterial drainage figured largely in these comments and all the schemes mentioned, namely, the Shannon, Dunkellin, Suck, Little Brosna, Nore, Barrow and Blackwater rivers, the Laune, Fergus, the Inagh, and Scarriff are indicative of the scope of the problem of arterial drainage throughout the country.

I share the views of the Deputies in regard to the importance of arterial drainage. At present my office have three arterial drainage schemes in progress and I hope before the end of the year to have two further schemes — the Boyle and the Bonet — commenced. This will be one of the most extensive arterial drainage programmes in progress at any one time in the history of the State. I might also add that I am making every effort to improve on this situation. However, in the long run one must come back to priorities of staff and money. At present staff is the bottleneck. The Shannon not alone requires the assignment of large numbers of engineers and other staff by the Office of Public Works but the allocation of staff by the ESB and An Foras Talúntais, who have agreed to co-operate in this survey.

We have been trying continuously over the past two years to recruit engineers and the position at present is more hopeful than for some time past. I am sure the Shannon survey will start this year. As Deputy Donnellan realises, we got a £400,000 grant this year, 40 per cent of the cost, and we will have to meet 60 per cent of the cost. Two years ago my Department made a request to the EEC for this grant. I should like to inform the House that the Minister for Finance has sanctioned the cost of the survey of the Shannon and I am sure Deputy Donnellan and his colleagues will welcome that.

We will rejoice.

The survey of the Shannon will improve arterial drainage, navigation and power.

The cost of the survey only has been sanctioned ——

The Minister has given sanction for the survey to go ahead but the Deputy does not like the news ——

May I ask the Minister ——

When the Minister is finished, the Deputy can ask questions.

How long will it take to carry out the survey?

About two years.

Brief questions may be asked at the end.

What will be the total cost of the survey?

One million pounds.

Those questions may be asked at the end.

I presume there will not be any problem getting engineering staff to carry out that survey.

The Minister, without interruption.

If the Deputy was listening to questions asked in this House recently he will know we have been recruiting staff and we will be recruiting more in the very near future. This survey will go ahead this year and I am sure the Deputy will welcome it.

I welcome it.

Deputy Callanan and Deputy Donnellan mentioned the problem of the drainage of the Dunkellin river. The design of a drainage scheme for this river is in hands at present and the Office of Public Works are continuing discussions with interested parties in regard to the environmental aspects of this river. Once the design has been completed a cost-benefit analysis will have to be carried out and the remaining statutory requirements of the Arterial Drainage Acts will have to be complied with. Deputies may be assured that every effort will be made, having regard to other commitments, to bring the matter to a conclusion as soon as possible.

Deputy Tully raised several points to which I would like to refer — the deposition of spoil, cutting of trees, loss of water to wells and the pegging of drains. Generally speaking every effort is made to deposit spoil as equitably as possible between holdings. In this context it has become practice to have prior consultation with the landowners involved so that where possible amicable arrangements can be reached. Machines usually operate from the bank which causes the least disruption and minimum interference with permanent features such as hedgerows, amenity land, tillage land and so on. Very few mature trees are cut down during drainage works. Every effort is made to save them. They are removed only where necessary, that is, where they occur close to the banks of the channels which are to be deepened or widened.

Regarding loss of water to wells, the commissioners cannot accept liability for the behaviour of wells fed from unknown, undefined underground sources. They are not unmindful of the hardship caused by loss of water and they are at present reviewing their responsibility for such loss where such might be attributable to their works. Kilmainham village is a case in point and calls for special attention. Very generous assistance has been offered to the residents and the problem here is well on the way towards a satisfactory solution in negotiation with the residents.

It is incorrect to assume that because a drain has been pegged it must be included in a scheme. All tributaries in a catchment which appear economic to drain are pegged and surveyed. They are subsequently examined in the course of preparing the scheme and, if found uneconomic when comparing the cost of works with the expected benefit, are omitted from the scheme as exhibited. Landowners should check the drains included in a scheme at the time of exhibition. Extra drains that may not have been pegged are sometimes included in a scheme at a later stage on the presentation of landowners if following examination they are found to be economic.

In the Mornington area of the Boyne scheme a particular problem has arisen in that the complex of drains serving the area was designed to give relief from flooding to agricultural land. Since design, extensive housing development has taken place and the commissioners must of necessity re-examine their proposals for the area.

Regarding Navan the best that can be done will be done for the town but, as the Deputy said, total immunity from flooding cannot be guaranteed.

I am aware of the flooding problem at Duleek from the River Nanny but the commissioners have no power to carry out works of a piecemeal nature to relieve flooding in a particular area of a catchment. In common with almost every other catchment in the country, many requests have been received for the advancement of the Nanny in the priority list on which the national arterial drainage programme is based. However it must await its turn for treatment in the programme. Any change in the lists, for whatever reason, involving the advancing of some schemes at the expense of the displacement of others would give rise to strong protest from areas adversely affected by the change.

Deputy Tully also raised the subject of compensation and I should like to outline what is involved in the processing of a claim. A scheme for compensation for loss or damage as a result of drainage works can be processed only when works on the holding in question have been completed and a proper assessment of both damage and benefit can be made. The processing of a claim often involves the preparation of detailed engineering and valuation reports and lengthy negotiations. Whilst every effort is made to settle each case as expeditiously and amicably as possible delays can occur. That is where negotiations break down. If the Deputy can provide details of the delays he mentioned in his speech I will be more than happy to have the matters investigated.

Deputy Hegarty raised several matters, among them the question of fishery harbours. The policy in this regard is a matter for the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry. An internationally recognised expert carried out a survey of the whole coast and recommended major fishery harbours at five centres, namely, Killybegs. County Donegal, Rossaveal. County Galway, Castletownbere, County Cork. Dunmore East, County Waterford, and Howth, County Dublin.

The Office of Public Works were asked to undertake the provision of these harbours and this programme is now nearing completion.

Could the Minister say what money is being spent this year in Rossaveal?

The Deputy should put down a parliamentary question.

When the Minister concludes the Deputy will be entitled to ask a few brief questions.

A programme of improvement works to smaller landing places throughout the whole coastline is under way and this is also being carried out in accordance with priorities laid down by the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry.

A suggestion that the cost of maintenance of arterial drainage and coast protection works be a State charge was also made by Deputy Hegarty. This is a matter of Government policy as it would involve changing the law and as such it does not come within the ambit of an Estimate discussion.

Deputy O'Leary also spoke about progress on the Maharees coast protection scheme. I am glad to say that Kerry County Council have issued a satisfactory prohibition order. The Commissioners of Public Works are at present processing the council's application and Deputy O'Leary may be assured that as long as I am in the Office of Public Works it will be processed as speedily as possible.

Deputy Hegarty also referred to the privacy of people using social welfare offices and Deputy Keating mentioned conditions in employment exchanges where people must queue to do their business. Basically this is a matter for the Department of Social Welfare but I assure Deputies that I will co-operate with the Department in any provision they propose for that purpose.

The Deputy also raised the matter of access to public buildings for disabled persons. Deputy Callanan also spoke in this context. I appreciate fully the need for access to public buildings by the disabled and works to provide such access are undertaken by the OPW and are going on continually. These works are carried out in conjunction with other minor maintenance works as they become necessary. In addition, when new buildings are being planned provision is made for access by the disabled.

The matter of works needed at schools and Garda stations was dealt with by several Deputies. When a large number of buildings need attention the problem must be tackled in an orderly way by way of a planned programme. The minor works needed at schools and Garda stations are being dealt with in this way and good progress is being made.

Specific mention was made by Deputies Enright and Keegan of Balnahown national school. A contract for the school was placed in December 1980. Progress is satisfactory and work should be completed towards the end of the year.

Deputy Keegan also mentioned Rochfortbridge national school. I am glad to say that it is hoped to invite tenders for the extension of this school within the next week. Deputy O'Leary expressed the wish to have speedy progress regarding Ballyferriter national school in County Kerry. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a contract has just been placed for the new school.

With regard to Killarney Garda Station, which was also mentioned by Deputy O'Leary, the Commissioners of Public Works have not as yet secured a suitable site. They are, however, looking at a few properties. Deputy Keegan mentioned Mullingar Garda Station and I must disagree with him regarding the state of the building. It is in good repair generally and any minor works required will be carried out from time to time.

Deputy Keegan expressed the opinion that pre-fabricated classrooms might constitute a fire hazard. This is not the case. Such classrooms conform to the recommendations of the OPW fire officer and comply with requirements of local authorities. The structures have specified fire resistance. The roof, walls and ceilings are made to acceptable safety standards. There are emergency exit doors in addition to the normal doors.

Deputy Enright suggested that shelters should be provided in national schools. The Department of Education recently established a committee to review planning criteria for national schools. The OPW will be represented on that committee and I shall ask our representatives to put before the committee the views expressed by Deputy Enright.

The Deputy also mentioned the storage of museum articles in Daingean. It is primarily a matter for the Department of Education to decide if they wish to put the articles on display to the public but the Deputy's suggestion will be brought to their attention.

The question of Garda accommodation was raised by several Deputies. The various provisions in the Estimates for new accommodation and improvements to existing stations amount to approximately £3 million. This is an indication of the urgency with which the problem is being tackled.

The Garda building programme is an ongoing one and considerable progress has been made in the past few years in replacing sub-standard accommodation. It is expected that at least a dozen new stations will be completed this year and many more are at various stages from contract works in progress to detailed planning.

Deputy Tully spoke of the condition of Garda stations generally and of Drogheda Garda Station in particular. I do not accept that Garda stations in County Meath are in a poor state of repair. Like any other building in continuous use a Garda station will from time to time need attention. Repairs and maintenance works are carried out without undue delay once they come to notice. On this point let me say again that housekeeping and ordinary cleaning of Garda stations, and indeed of most State buildings, is not a matter for the Office of Public Works, but for the occupants of those buildings.

Deputy Keating spoke of inefficient management of public buildings. I take it that what he had in mind was the day-to-day use of the buildings and the organisation of the activities of the occupants including control of lighting and conservation of energy use. Likewise, this is for the Departments concerned. When the Office of Public Works provide accommodation for a Department they hand it over fitted out, furnished and appointed in the most economical way to meet the particular needs of the Department and the building is maintained thereafter in accordance with an ordinary programme.

The Office of Public Works have no responsibility for the housing of military personnel or prison officers.

To get back to Drogheda Garda Station which Deputy Tully mentioned, the building is a large four-storey house on a restricted site in the centre of the town. It is not a bad building but it is too small for the station party now assigned to it. For that reason the Office of Public Works are looking for a suitable site for a new, larger building. A number of options in this matter have recently been brought to the attention of the Garda and I am hopeful that a solution to the problem is not too far away. As I said, the existing building is not a bad one but it is too small. Extra office space has been provided in two prefabricated buildings at the rear of the station and for several weeks now a contractor has been working in the main building adapting and rearranging the space available to provide toilets and other facilities.

Deputy Tully alleged delays in dealing with national schools schemes in County Meath. I find that of the three cases he mentioned Kilcloone is progressing satisfactorily. Bills of quantities are being prepared with a view to inviting tenders. With regard to Duleek school, the commissioners have not yet got a satisfactory scheme from the school authority's architect. The commissioners expect to settle a scheme for car parking at Ratoath school in the next few weeks.

Irish materials are used in Office of Public Works contracts to the full extent compatible with EEC regulations and contract procedure. With regard to the imported soft floor covering used in national schools, this material has qualities of endurance and washability at a very attractive price which make it particularly suitable for use in schools. Every effort is being made to encourage the marketing of an Irish-made product which will meet the specialised needs of schools at a competitive price. The Office of Public Works would, of course, much prefer to use home-made material.

With regard to the former Garda station in Navan, the Office of Public Works have put certain proposals to the local authority which they hope will secure the future of this building.

Several Deputies referred to the need for extra accommodation for Oireachtas Members. Arrangements have been made to provide new premises for the College of Art and their existing space is becoming available according as they move out. No time will be lost is making that space ready as an extension to Leinster House and this should solve many of the problems of which Deputies have complained.

Deputies Keating and Donnellan raised the question of heating in Leinster House. There have been complaints about heating in the House. The heating system is constantly monitored and every effort is made to maintain suitable temperatures in all parts of the House. I would ask that when complaints arise they would be chanelled through the Captain of the Guard. The Office of Public Works' staff will be put on notice and can attend to particular problems as they arise.

It would pay the Minister to change the system rather than leave the present system in operation. It is continuously going wrong.

We are doing our best and any complaints should be reported.

Deputy Taylor spoke of the Burren area. We still have problems in acquiring enough land to comprise a viable integral area for a national park in the area of the Burren which we have selected. However, our efforts are still continuing. In anticipation of final success we are in the process of recruiting staff for the park. The Burren is a very sensitive area and to preserve and interpret it so that visitors may obtain the greatest possible benefit from a visit to it requires very careful consideration. The first task of the personnel appointed will be to study carefully this problem.

Deputy Mitchell raised the matter of Gael Scoil Inse Choir who are seeking a site for a new school in the Phoenix Park extension. Whenever the Office of Public Works acquire or hold property as an amenity or for recreation purposes they are inundated with requests for plots and sites for various purposes. This applies not alone to Dublin but is a countrywide phenomenon. There is always tremendous pressure and the argument is that the purpose in mind is more desirable than the proposals of the Office of Public Works. A consistent feature also is that no other site is available.

A decision was reached many years ago that where the Office of Public Works had a property for amenity purposes they would not, except in very exceptional circumstances, release any portion for any other purpose. This still holds and in the circumstances I regret that I cannot see my way to facilitate Gael Scoil Inse Choir. As far as I know, Dublin Corporation have given some of their land as a site.

The Deputy also raised several other issues in regard to the Phoenix Park. He suggested the provision of tennis courts, bowling facilities, basketball courts, swimming pools and so on. There has been considerable pressure over the last 30 to 40 years for the provision of such facilities but they have been uniformly refused. The attraction of the Phoenix Park is the wide open spaces and the extensive vistas for which it is internationally renowned. This is the great appeal for the vast majority of the people from Dublin and indeed visitors generally. The Office of Public Works wish to maintain this policy and to present the natural features of the park so that visitors may derive the greatest possible pleasure from them. All the OPW's current plans are designed to that end. The new information centre and car park at Knockmaroon is just one example of this.

Deputy Mitchell also referred to the future of the Phoenix Park extension. When Dublin Corporation's road plans, which affect the area, have been finalised the OPW propose to prepare an overall plan for the more effective use of the balance of the property as an amenity. They will be happy to consider the views of Dublin Corporation, the various interested sports organisations and an Bord Fáilte in regard to such a plan and to receive their co-operation in carrying it out.

Deputy Keating mentioned the condition of the Papal Cross. If the Deputy had attended a recent press conference to which he was invited he would be aware that consultants were commissioned to prepare plans and contract documents for a scheme of works necessary to render the cross safe and suitable for retention. These include the mounding of the base of the cross to the dimension of the temporary altar which was erected for the Papal Mass, the painting of the cross and the erection of a suitably inscribed plaque. The contract documents are almost ready and tenders will be invited for the work within the next few weeks. The scheme should then be completed before the end of the year.

With regard to traffic control in the Phoenix Park, I am glad to say that in order to reduce and control the speed of traffic in the park a temporary roundabout is to be erected on the main roadway at the Phoenix Cross, and subject to this proving satisfactory, permanent roundabouts will be erected on the three junctions on the main road, that is, Mountjoy Cross, Phoenix Cross and Gough Cross. The Commissioners of Public Works have asked Dublin Corporation to advise on the most suitable design for the temporary roundabout at the Phoenix Cross. The erection of this roundabout will also involve the provision of road lighting by electricity in the vicinity of the roundabout. When the temporary roundabout is erected and when some working experience has been gained of its operation I will arrange for the commissioners to examine the desirability of providing road markings as necessary. The provision of "ramps" could also be considered at that time but these would present practical and legal difficulties.

Deputy Keating referred to the provision of shelters for the gardaí on duty at the entrance to Leinster House. Plans which were drawn up for approval by the various interested bodies including the Committee on Procedure and Privileges and the local authority were cleared finally on the 14 January 1981. The Deputy will have noticed that work on the shelter at the Kildare Street entrance is in progress and the shelter for the Merrion Street entrance is being fabricated by the manufacturer and will be erected as soon as possible.

Regarding Deputy Tully's comments about tax deductions from the wages of employers of the Office of Public Works in Meath, all OPW employees in Meath are headquartered in Trim and there have been no complaints to the OPW from any of them about their deductions. As the Deputy should know, when persons commence employment in the OPW, if the persons do not present tax-free allowance forms or P45s the OPW are required to notify the Revenue Commissioners of their commencement in employment. The OPW must then await details of the tax-free allowances from the Revenue Commissioners. In the meantime they are required by the Revenue Commissioners to deduct tax at an emergency rate. It is then a matter for the persons concerned to obtain any refunds from the Revenue Commissioners.

If Deputy Tully provides details of any individual cases in which he has received complaints. I will be happy to investigate them.

I would again like to thank Deputies for their contributions. Deputies will appreciate that it is not possible for me to reply to every point raised in the debate. They may be assured, however, that all of the points will receive consideration.

Would the Minister answer a few of the questions I asked?

Deputy Donnellan asked about money being spent on harbours in County Galway. I will give him the locations and the amounts being spent. In Inishmore £30,000 is being spent and work is in progress on the scheme. In Caladh Mhóir, Inishmean, £75,000 has been allocated. Proposals are being considered by Roinn na Gaeltachta. In Cleggan, the engineering survey is to be undertaken this year. A sum of £400,000 is to be spent in Inishboffin. The scheme is being designed and work is scheduled to commence in 1982. There is a £30,000 scheme for Inisheer. The work has been completed. Proposals for a £50,000 scheme in Keane, Clarenbridge, are being considered by the Department of Fisheries and Forestry.

What about the River Nanny in Tuam, part of the Corrib catchment drainage? That scheme was closed down in 1964. Money was allocated at the time but the work could not be carried out because the Nanny was being used as a water supply for Tuam.

I will communicate with the Deputy and give him the up-to-date information.

The Minister proposes to recruit engineering staff to carry out a survey on the Shannon. How does he propose to recruit staff now, when he was unable to do it a month ago or even last year?

We made an effort to recruit some engineers recently and we were fairly successful.

That means some engineers were recruited. How many?

Four or five. We offered work to 16.

How many were recruited?

Five or six.

I asked a question about the £14 million allocated by the EEC for arterial drainage.

The question should be addressed to the Minister for Agriculture whose Department will allocate the money. If the Deputy puts down a question to the Minister for Agriculture he will get a reply.

The Minister indicated last June when we introduced a National Heritage Bill that he was going to introduce a Bill in the not too distant future. That is almost a year ago and there is no sign of it yet.

There was an announcement by the Taoiseach recently about the new Heritage Bill.

I did hear something about it but there is nothing on paper yet.

We cannot deal with Bills on an Estimate.

The Minister's Department deal with this.

I suggest to the Minister that he will convey the answer to the Deputy.

Vote put and agreed to.
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