The Office of Public Works (OPW) is responsible for the maintenance of Arterial Drainage Schemes and catchment drainage schemes designated under the Arterial Drainage Acts of 1945 and 1995.
The Sluice gate referred to by the Deputy forms part of the River Maine Catchment Drainage Scheme for which the OPW has maintenance responsibility. The structure in question is a double sluice which offers drainage outfall to lands located behind an OPW flood defence structure.
The lands being drained by this sluice are extremely low lying and consequently have poor drainage outfall. Staff from the OPW have inspected the sluice and found it to be in proper repair and operating effectively.