Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 November 2023
211. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will assign the Office of Public Works, vis-à-vis a Service Level Agreement with Clare County Council, to clean the watercourse of the Inagh River, County Clare, given that Clare County Council do not have the specialist machinery or budget required to undertake remedial works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49146/23]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) is responsible for the maintenance of arterial drainage schemes and flood relief schemes completed under the Arterial Drainage Acts, 1945 and 1995, as amended.
The responsibility for maintenance of all drainage schemes carried out by the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland under earlier Acts, known as Drainage Districts, was conferred on the relevant Local Authorities. In this regard, under section 19 of the Arterial Drainage Act, 1925, the duty and power of maintaining the Inagh River Drainage District works in good repair and condition and proper and efficient working order, and of doing all matters and things reasonably necessary for or incidental to such maintenance, was conferred on Clare County Council in December, 1940.
The resource requirement identified in the workforce plan for Arterial Drainage Maintenance is only to a level to manage schemes under the remit of the OPW. The OPW is unable to enter into a service level agreement with Clare County Council to clean the watercourse of the Inagh River.
