asked the Minister for Finance when it is proposed to undertake the drainage of the Dromore river and of the Fane river in County Monaghan.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Drainage of Monaghan Rivers.
67.
The Fane river is No. 20 on the accepted priority list of minor catchment areas to be dealt with under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945, and therefore it will be some years yet before it can be reached in the programme. The Dromore river is part of the Erne catchment area, the survey of which has just been completed. Design work and the preparation of a scheme is proceeding but at this stage I could not say when actual drainage works can be commenced.
The Parliamentary Secretary gives an indication of when he intends to deal with the Fane. Can he give any estimate of when it is proposed to take the Dromore? He has already in his Office an interim scheme for the relief of the urgent flooding in this Dromore river area which would get over the worst difficulties until the main catchment scheme can be undertaken.
It would be, in my opinion, early 1965 before the works could commence. The suggestion that an interim report be made was initiated, I think, at the behest of Deputy Dillon when he was Minister for Agriculture, through the Minister for Finance, and evidently the idea was that that would be done under the Land Reclamation Act of 1949. As the Deputy will be aware, there is no means under that Act of maintaining the work thereafter and the position is that that interim scheme was not undertaken.
Would it not be perfectly possible for the Board of Works to undertake an interim scheme for the immediate relief of the area, pending the completion of a major scheme under the Arterial Drainage Act or have the Government become so ossified in their approach to these problems that they are being choked with their own red tape?
This problem has been there for a long number of years and the Deputy must be aware that it was the considered opinion of the experts that if we did this Dromore river, it would aggravate the problem of the main Erne catchment.
The Erne catchment is mainly in Northern Ireland.
Not at all.
The Dromore river flows down through Monaghan and Cavan. Why can we not do that part of the river which is in our jurisdiction? Why can we not do that part in Monaghan and Cavan and let our neighbours do their part beyond the Border?
Where will the Border go to?
To the lake.
What lake?
There are two lakes which can be used as a sponge.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary turn up the report of the chief engineer of the Board of Works to me when I was Minister for Finance, making it quite clear that because of the position of the lake, which could be used as a sponge in this area, the doing of the work concerned would not aggravate the flooding anywhere else?
Why did you not do it?
The plan was prepared and you came into office and stopped it.
It is there on the records.
In answer to Deputy Sweetman's Supplementary Question as to the report by the chief engineer of my Department, he is incorrect in his facts.
Produce the report.
I have read the report.
Will you produce it to me?
I will——
Will the Parliamentary Secretary produce it?
The Deputy is misinformed.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary produce the report?
Why do you want it again?
I do not believe what Fianna Fáil say when they are quoting from a document. I want the document on the table. I would not believe a word they said.
Why did you not keep it when you had it?
Because I do not steal files out of the Department as Deputy Smith did when he was Minister for Local Government.
Is it right for a Minister to actually suggest that it is a proper thing to steal files out of Departments?
Very smart.
The chief engineer of my Department recommended against the doing of the Dromore before the Erne catchment was attacked.
Put the report in the Library.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary put the report in the Library?
If the Deputy puts down a further question, I shall give him most enlightening information.
Will the Parliamentary put the report in the Library? He funks it because he knows what he is saying is not true.