Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 19 Feb 1992

Vol. 415 No. 9

Adjournment Debate. - Swinford (Mayo) Land Flooding.

Mr. J. Higgins

I will be very brief. This is a very simple case. It relates to a new primary school which has been built in Killasser, Swinford, County Mayo. This is a very welcome development which is long overdue. The problem relates to a ten-foot-deep ravine adjacent to the new school yard. This has been a major bone of contention for a considerable time. The problem is that two bridges on the ravine cause a back-up of water thereby flooding, on an ongoing basis, almost since the beginning of time, 150 acres of arable but scarce land.

We are asking for a joint venture between the Office of Public Works and Mayo County Council to solve this problem. I have managed to obtain agreement from Mayo County Council that they will fund, under the local improvements scheme, 50 per cent of the cost of this operation. The operation would involve the deepening of the ravine in order to enable it to take away the water, deepening of the two bridges in question, laying of pipes where the drain and bridges are at present and completing the work to everybody's satisfaction. If the Office of Public Works proceed as is envisaged an unsatisfactory arrangement would be put in place. The current level of water would be maintained and flooding would continue ad infinitum, resulting in an irreversible position. Now that the work is being done I ask for a little sanity, co-operation and a joint venture between the Office of Public Works and Mayo County Council. I hope children will be safer and everybody will be happier as a result.

Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Mr. N. Treacy)

I hope Deputy Higgins and myself will be able to create the necessary sanity for the people of the area. The channel in question is situated in the townland of Listernane and forms the boundary between Killasser Church and the site of the new national school which is under construction at the moment. This open channel is a scheduled channel of the completed works of the Moy catchment drainage scheme. This scheme was carried out by the Commissioners of Public Works during the period 1960-71 under powers derived from the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945. The purpose of this drainage scheme was to provide improved outfall for aricultural lands and to reduce the incidence of flooding in the area. As the House will appreciate total immunity from flooding can never be guaranteed. Indeed, the Moy catchment drainage scheme provided considerable benefit to approximately 61,000 acres of land in counties Mayo, Sligo and Roscommon.

Maintenance of the completed works of this drainage scheme is the statutory responsibility of the Commissioners of Public Works under sections 37 and 38 of the 1945 Act. The channels are regularly inspected and the necessary work is carried out as and when required, depending on the availability of resources.

Mr. J. Higgins

Does the Minister carry out the inspections?

Mr. N. Treacy

No, my top professionals do that. It is important to note that sections 37 and 38 of the 1945 Act confine the Commissioners of Public Works to the maintenance of the scheme to the original design.

When the new school was being built at Killasser, the Commissioner of Public Works gave their approval and clearly stipulated certain conditions for the section of drain to be piped. The reason for the "piping" request was twofold; first safety for children in the school and secondly, in order to facilitate the extension of the playground. The pipes have now been laid over a 77 metre stretch in accordance with the commissioners specifications and in compliance with the design depth. Local landowners have complained that the original drain, unpiped, was not sufficiently deep to adequately convey the required volumes of water. The Commissioners of Public Works advise me that they do not accept this; the drain has been regularly inspected and has always been maintained to the scheme design depth. The piping of this drain will not adversely affect the ability of the channel to convey water. In the circumstances, the commissioners advise me that they do not propose to undertake any further works. I am sure the Deputy will appreciate the tremendous co-operation the commissioners have given in ensuring that this drain was piped.