Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 6 Oct 1999

Vol. 508 No. 4

Written Answers. - Flood Relief.

Denis Naughten

Question:

214 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands if her attention has been drawn to the serious flooding problem in the Shannon basin at Clonown, County Roscommon; if she will assure landowners that all gates and locks south of Athlone, County Westmeath, are fully open and not impeding the flow of water; if she will ensure that better management of water levels will be taken in the future to avoid a repeat of a rapid rise of the Shannon south of Athlone; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19303/99]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera)

The only water level controls south of Athlone operated by Dúchas, the heritage service of my Department, are the sluices and weir boards at Meelick. I understand that the weir boards were removed and the sluices fully opened three weeks ago. The rise in the level of the Shannon was solely due to the recent unseasonally high amount of rainfall which was well over double the average level for September.