Vol. 418 No. 1
100 Mr. Cotter asked the Minister for Finance if the Dromore river in County Monaghan which flows into Enniskillen has been included as a project under the INTERREG Programme; if, in his view, this river is suitable for development as a tourist amenity; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
102 Mr. Cotter asked the Minister for Finance if the Finn river in County Monaghan which flows into Enniskillen has been included as a project under the INTERREG Programme; if, in his view this river is suitable for development as a tourist amenity; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
104 Mr. Cotter asked the Minister for Finance the date of the most recent survey carried out by the Office of Public Works on the Dromore river system which rises near Ballybay, County Monaghan; if the system was placed on a priority drainage list as a result of the survey; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
105 Mr. Cotter asked the Minister for Finance the date of the most recent survey carried out by the Office of Public Works on the Finn river system which rises near Ballybay, County Monaghan; if the system was placed on a priority drainage list as a result of the survey; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 100, 102, 104 and 105 together.
Both the Dromore and Finn rivers are tributaries of the Erne catchment which was included, at No. 10, in the priority list of major catchments on which the national programme of arterial drainage is based.
In 1970 a scheme for the part of the Erne lying entirely in the State and out-falling at Belturbet was prepared by the Commissioners of Public Works. This scheme included the Dromore river. However, it was decided at the time to defer further consideration of the project on economic grounds, the cost of the work being totally incommensurate with the benefits to be derived. There are no plans to revive activity on this scheme.
In 1990 the design of a scheme for the Finn/Lacky subcatchment, which was not included in the 1970 proposals; was completed as part of an EC programme of cross-Border drainage. Again, however, it was decided not to proceed with the scheme as it did not meet the appraisal criteria of either Government.
Neither of the rivers in question is included in the interregional programme and the Commissioners of Public Works have no plans in relation to the development thereof as tourism amenities. They are outside the limits of the Erne and Lough Oughter Navigation.
101 Mr. Cotter asked the Minister for Finance if the Fane river in County Monaghan which flows into Enniskillen has been included as a project under the INTERREG Programme; if, in his view this river is suitable for development as a tourist amenity; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
106 Mr. Cotter asked the Minister for Finance the date of the most recent survey carried out by the Office of Public Works on the Fane river system which rises near Ballybay, County Monaghan; if the system was placed on a priority drainage list as a result of the survey; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 106 together.
I assume the Deputy is referring to the River Fane which flows through County Monaghan and into the sea just south of Dundalk, County Louth. The river is included, at No. 20, on the priority list of minor catchments on which the national programme of arterial drainage is based. So far, however, it has not been reached in the programme so there is no survey data available. Planning of all schemes was suspended in 1983 by Government decision. Since then, the planning of four major schemes — the Suir, the Owenmore, the Mulkear and the Dunkellin — has been resumed.
The river is not included as a project under the interregional programme and the Commissioners of Public Works have no plans in relation to its development as a tourism amenity.
