asked the Minister for Finance if he will state what consideration has been given to the wishes of the tenant farmers and turbary plot owners in and near the town of Ballyhaunis to have the outflow of water from the island lakes diverted into the Clare Dalgan river.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Mayo Water Diversion.
No representations of the nature referred to in the question were received by the Commissioners of Public Works in relation to the Corrib-Clare drainage scheme following its recent exhibition under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945. I might mention, however, that a suggestion made in 1950 by a particular individual that the waters from Lough Cahier, which is in the River Moy catchment, should be diverted into the Corrib catchment, was examined in the course of the survey and design of the Corrib-Clare scheme but was not considered suitable for adoption.
The ParliamentarySecretary has indicated that no representations have been made to his Department. My question does not indicate that representations were made by Deputies of this House, but representations were made by certain individuals, of whom he knows. As one living adjacent to that particular place and having taken an interest in it, I am still convinced, no matter what the survey staff may say, that it would be a wise idea to divert the water from the island lakes to the Clare Dalgan river.
That is not a question.
I would ask the Parliamentary Secretary to request the survey staff to examine the matter carefully with a view to submitting a report before undertaking the drainage of the Clare Dalgan river.
I have had similar proposals from my own constituency in regard to another catchment area which certain people want diverted into the Corrib. I have not any intention whatever of setting up a precedent of that kind, because if such a precedent were set up then we might drain the whole country through one channel.
Is it not a fact that representations were received two months ago by the Parliamentary Secretary?
Yes, from one individual.
Why is it said, in reply to the question, that they were not received?
They were received from an individual in 1950.
The answer refers to the Cahier Lake.
There were no representations from a number of tenant farmers. There were from one individual in 1950. He got a somewhat similar reply from my predecessor.
Do the Commissioners of Public Works not propose, even inextreme cases, to divert the water from one catchment area to another where such would be an advantage to the drainage of the particular area?
That is a general question.
The Parliamentary Secretary has touched on it in his reply.
That is a much bigger question.