asked the Minister for Agriculture the reasons he has not set up a co-ordinating meeting for the establishment of a Shannon drainage authority in view of a commitment which he gave at a meeting to the Oireachtas and farming Members earlier this year; if he will now direct the various agencies and bodies to be brought together in order to ensure that progress be made on this serious situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Shannon Drainage Authority.
3.
Arising from a series of meetings with various Government Ministers and Ministers of State culminating in a meeting on Tuesday last with the Taoiseach, a memorandum for Government is now being prepared that will lead to decisions on:
(a) the possible need for legal change in relation to the control of water levels in the Shannon;
(b) the organisation of co-ordination between public bodies which exercise functions affecting water levels in the Shannon as well as other interested parties; and
(c) appropriate procedures for considering and recommending whether a single agency should exercise responsibility in relation to such water levels and, if so, on what basis such an agency should be established.
I would expect the memorandum to come to Government in January next and would expect an early decision from Government.
I welcome the positive step forward outlined by the Minister. Will the Minister explain why there has been such a long delay in view of the fact that he gave a firm commitment to a meeting of farmers and Members of the House last year to convene a meeting? I am pleased to note that action has been taken as a result of my question. Will the Minister be in a position to put forward a plan to deal with this problem in January, irrespective of whether it is an election gimmick or not?
The Deputy should be sensible and permit the Minister to answer the question. He is making statements.
I want to know how the problem in regard to the River Shannon can be alleviated? In view of the decision of the Government on 13 November transferring the responsibility for arterial drainage to the Department of Agriculture will the Minister tell the House the prospects for progress on this scheme?
That is a preamble to a motion.
I have answered that question. I hope to have a memorandum before Government in January. There has not been any undue delay about this. The Department have been instrumental in co-ordinating meetings between the various State agencies involved.
That is all the Government can do, hold meetings. There has not been any action.
Will the Minister recommend the setting up of a Shannon authority as distinct from a drainage authority? Will he support the idea of an authority to be responsible for the entire river? Is the Minister aware of the serious plight of farmers in south Roscommon whose land is flooded? Will he accept that there is an urgent need to provide them with funds to help alleviate their problems?
That is a separate question.
The Deputy is not in the Chair.
If Members were half as constructive as Deputy Naughten they would be doing a lot better. He has been very helpful in these matters.
Is he back in favour again?
It appears to the Chair that there is a determined effort to have a rowdy Question Time during which questions will not be asked or answered properly. I must stress that I will not have any hesitation in adjourning the House if this continues.
(Limerick West): The Chair should address that remark to the Government side of the House.
I am referring to all parties.
I should like to tell Deputy Leyden that I am preparing a memorandum for Government which I expect will be discussed next month. It will be as a result of a Government decision based on that memorandum that the format of the new body will be decided. Deputies should have a little patience until that decision is made. Having been to the district on numerous occasions I am fully aware of the serious damage caused by flooding in the area north and south of Athlone. I have seen that damage on at least a dozen occasions in the last two years.
What does the Minister intend doing about this?
The Minister has done something about it. The Deputy is not keeping abreast of what is happening.
Pending a decision on the memorandum, will the Minister undertake to make contact with the authorities responsible for the management of Shannon and suggest that they listen to the views of farmers and public representatives? Will the Minister suggest that that authority should listen to the suggestions by those people to alleviate the problem of flooding?
As late as last Tuesday, the Taoiseach, Government Ministers and Minister of State, met representatives of the farming community. I understand that they had a satisfactory meeting. Unfortunately, I could not attend that meeting. In October-November officials of the Department of Agriculture met representatives of the Office of Public Works and the ESB to discuss Meelick weir, one of the big bones of contention in regard to flooding. Those bodies pointed out that it is a misconception to claim that the cleaning of the weir and the removal of silt would reduce flooding. The Office of Public Works did some clearing there last August but, apparently, that did not have any impact.
They dumped the silt on the other side of the weir.
The real problem is the inadequate capacity of the channel north of Meelick. Unless that is excavated there will always be flooding. I am told that the removal of the weir completely will not have any effect unless that channel is deepened.
I have raised this problem on many occasions in the House and I appeal to the Minister to exercise his authority, and his undoubted abilities, to put pressure on the various statutory authorities to carry out their duties when asked.
That is the purpose of bringing a memorandum to Government and getting a decision.
I should like to make it clear that there appear to be three options open to the Chair. The first is to suspend the Dáil in the particular circumstances occurring today.
(Limerick West): I am simply asking a question.
The Chair does not want to adopt that alternative. The Chair can adjourn the House for an hour, and he will not do that. The Chair can allow things to go on as they are, as they have been going on since Question Time started as an example of how Question Time should not be conducted.
I do not see any reason for the reprimand. You allowed me to ask a question——
And there are people jumping up and down all over the place, all at the same time.
(Limerick West): I want to ask the Minister, will legislation be needed for the setting up of the authority, or does the Minister think it could be done by repealing legislation?
I am not in a position to say that. I must say that Deputy O'Rourke has been most orderly.
Would the Minister communicate with the ESB to ensure that there will be simultaneous opening of all the locks on the Shannon so that some locks will not be open and others closed?
I will bring that to their attention.