Vol. 432 No. 3
16 Mr. Connor asked the Minister for Finance if he is considering amendments to the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945, to allow the Office of Public Works flexibility to carry out minor relief drainage works other than full catchment drainage as at present; and his views on current policy direction in view of environmental concerns and questions about the economic necessity of reclaiming more land for agricultural purposes.
For upwards of 100 years prior to 1945, drainage works in Ireland were carried out on a piecemeal basis and dealt with drainage problems in localised areas of river catchments. Several hundred of these minor schemes were carried out under various statutes in what came to be known as drainage districts, the maintenance of which became the responsibility of local authorities or drainage boards.
The inadequacies of this piecemeal approach to dealing with drainage problems were highlighted by various drainage commissions over the years, particularly by the Browne Commission 1938-40. It commented adversely on the haphazard creation of individual districts without consideration of the interests, problems and requirements of river basins as a whole. This was judged to be inconsistent with the idea of a planned drainage policy. Lack of maintenance was also a feature to such a degree that many schemes deteriorated to the extent that works had to be re-done, often on more than one occasion.
Among the main recommendations of the Browne Commission was that there should be a central drainage authority based in the Office of Public Works with responsibility for the construction and maintenance of arterial drainage. The Arterial Drainage Act, 1945, gave effect to the recommendations of the Browne Commission. It is now the sole basis for the Commissioners' statutory authority for arterial drainage.
The 1945 Act envisaged the execution of arterial drainage in the future on the basis of a planned programme of comprehensive schemes for entire catchments areas. Sixty of the most important rivers in the country were included in the national programme which was initiated soon after and which has progressed successfully in the intervening years. To date well over 40 schemes have been completed, conferring benefit on some 660,000 acres of agricultural land which previously suffered from flooding or waterlogging.
Changing emphasis on land uses, increased awareness of the environment and reducing returns on the high capital investment required has led to a diminishing prospect of formulating economically or environmentally acceptable schemes in recent years.
The Commissioners of Public Works have been examining to what extent changes, if any, in existing arrangements are necessary to take account of these altered circumstances. It is however too early at this stage to say whether any changes would be required to the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945.
I thank the Minister for the unnecessary history of drainage works he gave in his reply. In view of the fact that the arterial drainage programme is now effectively dead — the current estimate is 37 per cent lower than last year's estimate — would the Minister not agree that it would be wise to look at smaller catchments which are causing major problems in certain areas? The Minister will agree that full catchments works are effectively dead, both from an economic and environmental point of view.
As I said in my reply, which was not history, it is too early to state whether any changes will be required in the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945. I am, as the Deputy suggested, looking at smaller catchment areas and considering the possibility of carrying out drainage works in those areas. Drainage works were initially carried out on a piecemeal basis with the result that the problems were transferred from one part to another. Obviously such matters have to be taken into consideration, and this is being done at present.
Will the Minister be a little more forthcoming? Are members of the engineering staff of the Office of Public Works assigned directly to this area and, if so, how many?
Staff over a wide range of disciplines and not just from the engineering section are involved, as there are also financial implications. However nobody is assigned to the task full-time.
