asked the Minister for Local Government whether in view of the damage caused in parts of the country by flooding his Department contemplate any precautions against a repeat of damage caused to city householders in the past as a consequence of flooding by the Dodder and Tolka rivers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Flood Damage.
20.
Mr. O'Leary
Dublin Corporation have already carried out protective works on certain sections of the River Dodder and their proposals for a further scheme in the Ballsbridge/ Donnybrook area are under consideration in my Department. As regards the river Tolka, a major scheme of works was completed this year.
Has the Minister given any consideration to areas throughout the country that are frequently flooded resulting in great damage and loss?
In any place where there is unusual flood damage as we have had occasionally, we have taken any steps that were open to us in the particular case.
The Minister will remember that floods in recent years and over the past ten, 15 or 20 years seem to be peculiar to certain areas like Tralee, Cork, and Wexford.
And Bray.
There are certain steps being taken in the latter case.
Does the initiative lie with the local councils or do the Minister and his Department take the initiative?
Normally what happens is that on receipt of representations which usually follow any major flooding of an unusual nature, while the initiative is not ours to take in the true sense, we normally communicate with the local authority and try, by any means at our disposal, to have the local authority initiate any improvements necessary.
Do I gather from the Minister that he is in communication with those areas?
Yes.
Telling them to pray for fine weather.
I do not have to do that.
That is about all the Minister is doing.
There is plenty of good weather.