Vol. 451 No. 1
31 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Finance if he will make a grant of £5,000 available to complete works to allow efficient usage of existing pipe capacity on a sluice (details supplied) at Clonaninchy, Quilty, County Clare, as outlined in a Clare County Council report. [6253/95]
The area around Clonahinchy is protected by an embankment constructed in the 1920s. The responsibility for repair of a section of the embankment was transferred to the Commissioners of Public Works in August 1990. The damaged outfall structure through the embankment was replaced by the commissioners with a 1.8m diameter pipe which considerably improved its discharge capacity.
The flooding is due mainly to the inability of the channel upstream of the road bridge to carry floodwaters within its banks. Studies carried out by the commissioners have led them to conclude that an extensive scheme of embankments and back drains, including the installation of sluices and pumping equipment, would be required to give adequate flood relief. The provision of a second pipe, as had been suggested earlier, would not in itself be a satisfactory solution.
While there are no immediate proposals to undertake the large scale additional works required at this stage, the commissioners will keep the situation under review. In the meantime maintenance of the existing works will continue to form part of the annual programme of maintenance of the commissioners.
