asked the Minister for Local Government is he is aware that the Mornington-Crookedwood Road and the Multyfarnham-Crookedwood Road, County Westmeath are impassable owing to flooding; and what action he intends to take to make the roads passable.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Flooding of Westmeath Roads.
25.
The execution of necessary remedial works is a matter for Westmeath County Council, who, I am informed, are making every effort to have the roads referred to by the Deputy reopened to traffic as soon as possible.
What does the Parliamentary Secretary mean by "as soon as possible" and that they are "making every possible effort"? This situation has been in existence for the past three months and surely the people who are paying rates there are entitled to travel over these roads? Surely in this age, with the modern machinery we have, it should not take three months to alleviate this flooding?
The Deputy should speak up at the county council meetings.
This question has been raised three times at the county council meetings. I want to point out to the Minister that this is an important matter for the people in that area. They are flooded out and cannot travel that road, and what consideration is the Minister or his Department——
That is your fault.
——doing to alleviate the flood situation?
That is the Deputy's fault.
It is not my fault. I raised the matter three times with the county council and with the county engineer and now I am forced to raise it in Dáil Éireann where I am entitled to raise it. All that is wrong with the Deputy is that his friends did not raise it in time.
(Interruptions.)
Will the Deputy allow the Minister to reply?
The Deputy will learn manners here.
Not from you.
(Interruptions.)
You did not bully the Guards.
Order. Will the Deputy please allow the Minister to reply?
In reply to the supplementaries, I should say that apart from some letters which I received from the Deputy's colleagues, I did not have anything raised about this matter. On inquiry, as a result of those letters which I received from the Deputy's colleagues, I ascertained what Westmeath County Council are trying to do about this problem. I understand that a pipe has been blocked for a considerable time, that it is under nine feet of water and that members of the Sub-Aqua Divers Club were called upon to locate the blockage, that the blockage was ultimately cleared, but then blocked the pipe further on. I also understand that the excavator which is there at the moment will, it is hoped, get to the new point of blockage and clear it as soon as possible. I cannot go any further than that.
Is it true? I know it is not——
(Interruptions.)
Would the Minister inform me on what date he got in touch with Westmeath County Council? I have been informed that he got in touch with them as a result of the Parliamentary question on the Order Paper for answer today. The Minister is not going to tell me it was because of embarrassment to Deputy Carter.
The Deputy apparently asks and answers his own question.
(Interruptions.)
Question No. 26.
As the Deputy is fully aware, I have ways of knowing what is going on in Westmeath other than through the county council.
Question No. 26.
When is the Minister going to alleviate the flooding in this area?
I have called Question No. 26.
The Minister is in liquidation himself.
If the £100,000 which he is spending on two elections were spent on this, it would be better.
If Deputy L'Estrange cannot restrain himself, I shall have to ask him to leave the House.
With respect, Sir, there is a pair of them in it.
I will not ask Deputy Coogan for comments on my decision. If Deputy L'Estrange cannot restrain himself, he will have to leave the House.