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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 7 Jul 1983

Vol. 344 No. 9

Written Answers. - Erne Catchment Study Report.

306.

Mr. Leonard

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action being taken to implement the Erne catchment study report; and when work on the ground will commence.

The Government are committed to the implementation of the Erne catchment area study and the relevant Government Departments have been requested to act on the recommendations contained in the study as far as is possible within available resources. The following measures have been taken with a view to implementing the study's recommendations:—

The report recommended that a number of manual telephone exchanges be converted to automatic working. All exchanges named in the report have been converted except for Clones, which will not be converted until 1984.

Direct dialling facilities from Northern Ireland to the Republic became available on 29 September 1982. Direct dialling from the "01" area to Northern Ireland came into operation on 5 November 1982 and this facility was extended to automatic subscribers outside the "01" area on 21 December 1982.

The ESB are at present constructing a smolt-rearing station on the River Erne at Cathleens Falls. The purpose of this station is to produce smolts for restocking the River Erne and other border rivers. The hatchery is nearing completion. In the meantime salmon stock are being reared in temporary accommodation and it is expected that the first smolts from eggs laid down in 1981 will be released this year.

As regards the study's recommendations in respect of arterial drainage, because of the extent of the commitments of the Office of Public Works in the light of the resources available, it has not been possible to make any further progress on this and it is likely that this position will continue for some time. The Office of Public Works' current programme of drainage in the border areas comprises the design of schemes for the Finn/Lacky rivers (a sub-catchment of the Erne) and the Ulster/Monaghan Blackwaters, jointly with the Northern Ireland Drainage Division. As regards work on the Ballinamore/Ballyconnell canal, hydrometric data are being collected on a continuing basis and an investigation of the types of clay along the waterway and the feasibility of dredging and maintaining a channel through a number of the lakes has been initiated.

Regarding the improvement of tourism facilities, grants have been provided as follows: in County Leitrim, a grant was approved for bedroom improvements in one hotel, ten grants for supplementary holiday accommodation, and a grant for self-catering facilities at Carrick-on-Shannon. In County Cavan, one hotel was grant-aided in 1981 and ten grants were provided for supplementary holiday accommodation. There is also a proposal to construct self-catering holiday chalets in Killykeen Forest Park. Design plans for this development have been drawn up by the Office of Public Works which has been commissioned by the Forest and Wildlife Service to carry out this operation. In County Monaghan, bedroom improvements were carried out at one hotel in 1981 and three grants for holiday accommodation were also approved.

Meetings were held on a regular basis during 1981 between the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Bord Fáilte with a view to improving co-ordination between the bodies and for discussion of matters of mutual interest. Arising out of these meetings, two cross-Border tourist brochures were produced, and a third co-operative brochure "The Lakelands/Fermanagh" is due to be published shortly. In 1981, access to the Annalee River was improved and Navigation Markers were erected on the River Erne. At Brackley Lake, Bawnboy, Turbet Island, Belturbet, Carrick Bridge, Lisanagh and Dernaferst, picnic sites, parking areas and footpaths were provided and access was improved. Coarse angling facilities were improved at Lough Oughter.

As regards the question of road improvements, in 1981, £360,000 was allocated from the Special Border Areas Programme Fund to the five local authorities for the improvement of minor tourist roads. In 1982, the allocation came to £475,000.

Road works proposed in 1983 with the aid of state grants provided for a further phase of the improvement of the N3 from Virginia towards Cavan and for works on the N55 between Longford County Boundary and Ballinagh, and for works in the vicinity of Butlersbridge.

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