Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 31 Jan 1995

Vol. 448 No. 3

Written Answers. - Mulcair Catchment Area Flooding.

Desmond J. O'Malley

Question:

61 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the flooding which took place in the Mulclair catchment area and particularly in the vicinity of Cappamore, County Limerick, towards the end of December 1994, when one person was close to death by drowning before she was rescued and substantial damage was done to houses and other property in that area; the steps, if any, he proposes to take to prevent a recurrence of such flooding which has now occurred on a number of occasions; and if he will immediately put into operation a major flood relief scheme which would clear the many obstructions in the main channel of the Mulcair and its principal tributaries. [2171/95]

Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Mr. Hogan)

I am aware of the recent flooding which occurred in the Mulcair catchment area and I recently visited a number of locations, including Cappamore, where I met local public representatives and others to discuss the problem.

The position regarding this river is that over the past few years the Commissioners of Public Works have been engaged in the survey, design and economic evaluation of various drainage options for the catchment. All prospective costs and benefits have been included in the various analyses undertaken but it has not yet proved possible to devise an economically acceptable scheme.

In their efforts over the years the commissioners have maintained close liaison with the Muclair drainage society to ensure that all relevant factors are accounted for and are in fact currently awaiting information from the society in relation to the possibility that benefits could arise from a successful scheme because of lower production costs rather than as a result of increased production.

On a more positive note proposals by the Commissioners to amend the provisions of existing drainage legislation, to enable them to deal with localised flooding problems in particular urban flooding such as that referred to here, are under consideration in the Department of Finance.