Peter Burke
Question:62. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a river (details supplied) will be cleared. [2399/18]
View answerThursday, 18 January 2018
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The Office of Public Works (OPW) carries out a programme of Arterial Drainage Maintenance to a total of 11,500 km of river channel and approximately 730 km of embankments nationally. These maintenance works relate to arterial drainage schemes completed by the OPW under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995. The OPW has a statutory duty to maintain the completed schemes in proper repair and effective condition. The annual maintenance programme typically involves some clearance of vegetation and removal of silt build-up on an average five-yearly cycle. Each year, work is carried out to approximately 2,000 km of channel and about 200 structures around the country. Maintenance of all drainage schemes carried out under earlier Acts, known as Drainage Districts, is the responsibility of the relevant Local Authority.
The OPW is responsible for the maintenance of the Brosna Drainage Scheme, which includes the channel that flows through Kilbrennan. Maintenance of this channel is scheduled for early 2018. The blockage will be investigated and action taken as appropriate.