asked the Minister for Finance how many drainage petitions under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1925, have been lodged by Cavan County Council with the Board of Works, and if he will indicate the present position in regard to each scheme.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - CAVAN CO. COUNCIL AND ARTERIAL DRAINAGE.
Mr. BOURKE
Petitions in respect of 86 schemes under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1925, have been transmitted to the Commissioners of Public Works by the Cavan County Council. Fifty-eight of these appear to be too small to warrant the application of the Act of 1925 and the Commissioners are awaiting developments in connection with the Arterial Drainage (Minor Schemes) Bill before reaching a decision concerning them.
Of the remaining 28 schemes (a) 8 have been investigated by the Commissioners' engineers and valuers, (b) 4 have been inspected by an engineer, (c) 15 are to be reported on by an engineer and (d) one was returned to the County Council for attention and has not been retransmitted. Of the eight schemes already investigated and valued two have been submitted to the County Council for a decision as to supplementing the free grants by the Government and three are being considered in conjunction with the large Inny districts with a view to carrying out one comprehensive scheme. Two cases are still under consideration, while one has proved to be wholly uneconomic and is to be rejected. Of the four schemes examined and reported on by the engineer, two are at present being valued and another is to be valued in connection with the Ballinamore and Ballyconnell drainage district. The remaining scheme is quite uneconomic and will probably be rejected.
Will all these schemes initiated by the Cavan County Council come under the 1925 Act?
Mr. BOURKE
I said some were being rejected because they did not come suitably under the 1925 Act.
Do I understand that all will come under the 1925 Act?
Mr. BOURKE
Not all.
Some?
Mr. BOURKE
Some.
Is it intended to bring the others under the new Bill?
Mr. BOURKE
Did the Deputy hear the first part of the answer?
No.
Mr. BOURKE
(reading): "Fiftyeight of these appear to be too small to warrant the application of the Act of 1925 and the Commissioners are awaiting developments in connection with the Arterial Drainage (Minor Schemes) Bill before reaching a decision concerning them."
Is the Parliamentary-Secretary aware that these schemes would not have been proposed if the Government grant was only one-fifth, and that it is because the Government grant is much higher than one-fifth these schemes are being put forward?