Vol. 482 No. 3
167 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Finance if he will give details of the cause of the ongoing flooding problem at The Tunnell, Springfield, Mullingar, County Westmeath; the remedial action, if any, which is envisaged to deal with the problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17791/97]
Flooding of the Tunnell, while occurring frequently, is of short duration and effects only the access to the pedestrian walkway constructed by Westmeath County Council through the culvert which crosses under the Royal Canal at Springfield, Mullingar. The main cause of the flooding is the level at which the walkway was constructed, in order to provide sufficient headroom for pedestrians through the culvert.
The culvert had earlier been underpinned by the Commissioners of Public Works during the course of the Brosna catchment drainage scheme 1948-55 and the Commissioners continue to maintain it by removing accumulated debris.
