asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state (a) the amount of money provided for the special field drainage scheme in the Counties of Mayo and Galway; (b) the Vote from which these works were financed; (c) the average cost per acre of land drained; (d) whether the utilisation of the funds in question resulted in a reduction of grants under rural improvement, minor relief or bog development schemes available for Donegal, Kerry or other congested districts; and (e) whether it is the intention to extend the schemes and, if so, when.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Special Field Drainage Scheme.
(a) A sum of £60,000 was provided for the purposes of the experimental special farm drainage scheme in Counties Mayo and Galway; (b) the scheme was financed from sub-head K of the Employment and Emergency Schemes Vote, 1948-49; (c) the average cost per statute acre of drainage work completed is £46.95; (d) the funds provided in the Employment and Emergency Schemes Vote for rural improvements, minor relief and bog development schemes were not affected by the introduction of the special farm drainage scheme; (e) the question of future operations under this scheme is one which I have under consideration in the broader context of the land reclamation project which I mentioned in reply to Deputy O'Grady's question.