asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware that there are widespread complaints about the delay in the payment of compensation for damage to lands and other property by the River Moy drainage works; and if he will take the necessary steps to have the claims met more promptly.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Moy Drainage Compensation Claims.
208.
The Moy drainage scheme is being carried out primarily for the benefit of the farmers concerned and it has brought great improvement to the lands affected. Inevitably some damage to land adjacent to the banks has resulted from the deposit of spoil etc. All claims are investigated and compensation is paid where genuine loss can be proved. Many claims have been settled and the outstanding claims will be dealt with as quickly as possible.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that some claims have been in his Department for the last three and four years? Side by side with that position we find some people have been paid compensation, whereas others have been by-passed.
When a claim is made the engineer on the site inspects the claim and if he is satisfied it is a genuine claim for which the board is liable the valuer then goes to the person concerned and a settlement is arrived at. The Deputy will appreciate that this procedure takes some considerable time. On the Moy scheme alone we had 370 additional claims last year and of these 160 are outstanding. I hope in the next few months to get these cleared up.
I appreciate many difficulties arise. I can see that a lot of work has been done, but I should like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary if he realises when an acre or two of land are taken that it is a serious matter. The people I am interested in and with whose cases I particularly ask the Parliamentary Secretary to deal are people with low valuations and I should like the Parliamentary Secretary to ensure that they are properly paid.
I took this up with the engineer this week.