To-day I asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware that a number of men were engaged very recently in dumping stones in the River Moy at Coolcronan, Foxford, thereby causing increased flooding of lands in this area while at the same time engineers from his Department are engaged on survey work; and, if so, what steps he proposes to take to have all these obstructions removed.
The reply I got from the Parliamentary Secretary was as follows:—
"I have no information in regard to the dumping of stones in the River Moy at Coolcronan, Foxford, Mayo.
If the Deputy will send particulars to my office I will have the matter investigated. I would point out, however, that the Commissioners of Public Works would have no power to interfere unless the dumped stones constituted a weir or other like construction which might cause flooding of land without the occupiers' consent."
I felt obliged to ask your permission to have this debated on the adjournment because I regard this as a very important matter and also because I regard the Parliamentary Secretary's reply as wholly unsatisfactory. The first thing I note from his reply is that he shows complete ignorance of what is happening in the way of certain obstructions in the River Moy placed there by a certain individual or individuals. The Parliamentary Secretary was in my constituency very recently and I had the opportunity of hearing him addressing political meetings at various centres. On one occasion, at Knockmore, I heard him dealing at length with the problem of the drainage of the Moy. Listening to the Parliamentary Secretary then, one got the impression that he was very conversant with everything connected with the Moy and the grave flooding problem which existed there. However, we find that in his answer to me to-day in the House he now admits that he does not know that no fewer than ten stone walls have been erected across the Moy at Coolcronan, Foxford. I am not relying on hearsay. I assure the Parliamentary Secretary of that. I have not come here to exaggerate in any way. I have come to put the position very clearly and bluntly to him.
First of all I will refresh the Parliamentary Secretary's memory of the very big protest meeting held at Shraheen, Foxford, some time ago in connection with the flooding of the Moy. A very big number attended. It was what I might describe as a mass meeting at Shraheen Hall, Foxford, of tenants from a widely spread area which is affected by the flooding of the Moy. There were representatives of political Parties there—public men, Deputies and county councillors from North and South Mayo. The whole question was dealt with and as a result of that meeting a deputation was arranged with the present Parliamentary Secretary and we duly met in his office. We went into the question of the drainage of the Moy and pointed out that a number of obstructions were placed in the river, dumped stones and walls. The walls I referred to project 1½ feet to 2 feet over the water, are 2 feet in width and extend right across almost closing the channel. In his office on that occasion, I well remember —and I am sure the Parliamentary Secretary does too—this matter was debated. An official or number of officials of his Department assured us that they had visited the area as a result of a previous protest from Foxford and failed to observe any obstructions in the River Moy. I am satisfied that either the official or officials who made that statement never visited the area or if they did that they deliberately lied to the deputation and tried to mislead us because the truth is that these obstructions have been placed in the river for some time past.
I am not relying on hearsay. I have seen them for myself in recent times and during the last month or five weeks I have seen more walls erected there. I questioned some of the people of the neighbourhood of Coolcronan and spoke to people who were actually engaged on the work of placing obstructions in the river. They got their week's wages and were employed for about a fortnight. Having seen the structures I want to assure the Parliamentary Secretary that they consist of very solid firm walls projecting, at the time I visited the area, from 1½ to 2 feet over the water. As a layman, I can say truthfully and honestly that they are bound to increase the flooding of the lands adjoining the Moy and are also bound to flood certain houses in the Rinanny and Foxford areas. In the ordinary way, before these obstructions were placed there at all, houses in Rinanny and the adjoining villages have been flooded. The water actually came in the doors to the people. Cattle had to be driven off the land and crops were lost and these new obstructions will increase the flooding. To think that the Parliamentary Secretary who is listening to me now went to North Mayo, went from town to town, from fair to fair and from church gate to church gate——
