asked the Minister for the Environment if he will allocate funds to enable improvement works to be carried out to alleviate persistent flooding in Skibbereen, County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Skibbereen Flooding.
5.
The report of the Road Traffic and Flooding Study which has been submitted to my Department by the local authority contains proposals aimed at averting the danger of flooding in Skibbereen. This report is being examined in my Department and in the meantime the local authority have been asked to review the proposals in the light of the flooding which occurred in August this year. The flooding proposals are closely integrated with the local authority's proposed sewerage scheme, plans for which will now require to be revised to take account of the measures proposed in relation to the flooding. They are also inter-related with the road works proposals in respect of which the local authority have been requested to submit the additional information required for the evaluation of the proposal.
The stage has not yet been reached where the question of the allocation of funds in respect of the proposals would arise. When the necessary information and planning has been brought to the stage where decisions can be taken on the different elements in the proposals I will consider them as sympathetically as possible.
I am glad that at least we have received sympathy from the Minister but is he aware that proposals to alleviate flooding in Skibbereen have been put forward for the past 30 years? Their examination should be complete by now. Has the Minister got an interim proposal to alleviate the worst aspects of the flooding? There is persistent flooding in Skibbereen. Hurricane Charlie had devastating effects. I would like to have a commitment from the Minister that he will allocate funds to carry out elementary works to alleviate the worst aspects of this flooding.
As I pointed out to the Deputy who is more familiar with them than either I or any other Member of this House, there are a variety of proposals for improvements in Skibbereen. These relate to flood relief, a major sewerage scheme and road improvements. Essentially, what I was saying in the formal reply is that it would appear it would be best to try to integrate those together so that the maximum benefit can be derived. I accept that the question regarding the flooding problem in Skibbereen is not new and is in urgent need of attention. The Deputy will be aware, in response to the flooding caused by Hurricane Charlie, of the level of grant aid which was allocated to Cork County Council which was in the order of £1.5 million.
I am particularly interested in Skibbereen and I want to know what the Minister has done about the proposal which I sent to him to get rid of some rock which is causing flooding. This rock is part of the lien river. If this rock was removed it would alleviate the worst aspects of the flooding. The residents and business people of the town have suffered severe financial losses and they are looking to the Minister for an allocation of money.
If it is considered realistic or feasible to carry out some interim works which might alleviate the worst aspects of the flooding, that is if the Deputy thinks that Charlie is going to come back——
There is no doubt about that.
——I would be prepared to sympathetically look at any realistic proposal of that nature. There are major proposals which involve a diversion of the Ilen river which would lower its level, the provision of a relief road which in turn would act as a flood barrier between the river and the town, the upsiding of the sewers in the town to take surface water and a water pumping station. They represent the long term solution. I would be prepared to look sympathetically at whether an interim proposal could be carried out and subsequently integrated into a major scheme. I will communicate directly with the Deputy in that regard.