Vol. 553 No. 2
227 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Finance if he will implement the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Public Enterprise to carry out maintenance work on the River Shannon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13414/02]
The Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland have no responsibility for maintenance of the River Shannon. The commissioners are responsible for the maintenance of arterial drainage works undertaken on some tributaries of the River Shannon under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945 and will continue to discharge these responsibilities on an ongoing basis. The commissioners also maintain a number of hydrometric gauging stations in the River Shannon catchment.
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Enterprise and Transport recommended in its report which was published last March, that responsibility for co-ordinating the management of the River Shannon catchment should be assigned to the Western Development Commission. I am arranging to have the joint committee's report brought to the attention of the Department of Rural, Community and Gaeltacht Affairs for consideration and any appropriate action.
