asked the Minister for Finance if the survey of the River Shannon has commenced and, if so, the number of staff employed.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Arterial Drainage.
10.
(Clare): The proposed survey of the Shannon flood problem has not yet commenced and consequently no staff are employed at present.
Why has the survey not commenced? Why were staff not employed to carry out the survey in view of the fact that money was made available for this in the January budget and that it is being subsidised by the EEC?
(Clare): On 26 May 1981 sanction was given to recruit the necessary engineering staff and specialists in particular fields. One person was appointed before the embargo on recruitment in the public service in July 1981. The embargo still exists. It is hoped, as a result of an investigation which was carried in OPW, that we might be able to allocate staff to this. At present this is not possible because of the volume of work. There is a specific sum of money in the Estimate for this.
Is it not a fact that there is no real commitment by the Government to carry out this survey and that the embargo the Minister referred to is being used as a blocking procedure and one to save expenditure because the money has been used to finance the Gregory and other deals made by the Government?
(Clare): No.
There has been a complete failure by the Government to carry out this desirable survey on the Shannon which different organisations have called for over a number of years.
(Clare): Sanction for recruitment of the staff I referred to was granted in May 1981 under the second last Government. Due to the embargo imposed by his Government the following July——
Continued by the Minister's Government.
(Clare): I am only giving the facts. There is no question of not wanting to spend money on it. There is provision in the Estimate for it this year and it is a matter of having suitable staff to commence the work. Apart from further recruitment at present we are investigating the possibility of transferring staff from OPW. I am not saying we will be able to do this but we are examining the possibility.
Is it not a fact that £400,000 was allocated by the EEC for this study which was to have been completed by the end of this year? If the Minister reads his brief properly he will find that information is in it. Is there a danger of this money being lost because of the Department's failure to carry out the work? Is the Minister aware that the previous Government provided money in the Estimates for this study? Why has the Minister's Department not carried out the survey? If they are not going to do the work will they appoint a firm of consultants to carry it out?
(Clare): We intend to carry out the work. The survey does not have to be completed this year. It will take three years and the EEC will finance it to the tune of 40 per cent each year. This year's allocation from the EEC will not be lost if the work is not commenced before the end of this year. It is the intention of the Office of Public Works to carry out the survey at the earliest possible time when we have the staff available.
Is it not a fact that the Minister's colleague, Deputy Lenihan, who was then a Deputy for that constituency announced in a by-election in 1964 that the Shannon would be drained?
I am calling Question No. 11.
11.
asked the Minister for Finance the amount of money being spent in this financial year on the drainage of the Boyle and Bonet rivers; and the number of staff employed.
(Clare): Expenditure on the Boyle and Bonet drainage schemes in 1982 will probably be of the order of £200,000. To date some 20 staff have been employed on these schemes.
Has the Minister a separate figure for expenditure on both of the schemes?
(Clare): For the current year?
Yes.
(Clare): Provision was made for the sum of £300,000 for the two schemes.
Only £200,000 will be spent.
(Clare): At the moment it looks like that.
What is the commitment for continuation of those drainage schemes in 1983?
(Clare): I cannot give that information to the Deputy at the moment because the Estimates are not finalised.
Having regard to the soundings coming from the Government at the moment it may happen that the drainage work on the schemes will be suspended in view of the fact that there is already a cut of 33 per cent in expenditure for this year.
(Clare): The Deputy referred to soundings. All I can say is that he is getting the wrong vibrations. There is no question of work being suspended in any way in the coming year.
I hope the Minister will take note of my submissions when expenditure for 1983 is being decided.