asked the Minister for Local Government the present position regarding the proposed group water scheme at Roscahill, County Galway.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Water and Sewerage Schemes.
26.
Revisions of the design of the Roscahill group water supply scheme are necessary to enable it to be integrated with a proposed public scheme to serve the Roscahill-Oughterard area. Revisions suggested by the group are currently being considered by Galway County Council.
Could the Minister say when this group commenced?
A design for the scheme was submitted to the Department in December, 1972, and it was found on examination to require substantial revision and a copy of the revised design was submitted in April, 1973. After the revised design was checked by the Department inspectors it was referred to Galway County Council for approval in June, 1973, and on 30th February, 1974, a letter was received from the promoter suggesting the rerouting of certain sections of the group design and the council were asked for their observations. These are awaited.
I suggest to the Minister that the history of this group scheme, which he has now given to the House, is a greater reflection of the tardiness of the Department since the Minister took over than are any of his baseless assumptions——
In view of the fact that it was in December, 1972, it first reached the Department and the Minister at the time would have a very local interest in it, but apparently did not bother his head about it until I succeeded him, I fail to see why Deputy Molloy should now make a statement like that. Incidentally, the Department's supervising inspector for the area is meeting the county council liaison officer this week to discuss this particular group scheme and other schemes.
I would like to remind the Minister that I drew his attention to this group scheme many months ago here and obviously no action has been taken by him since.
I replied to the Deputy by letter pointing out what the position was. I will have to send him a copy of that letter because he obviously still does not understand——
That does not excuse the delay.
——the fact that Galway County Council intimated that the detailed drawings of their scheme would not be available until March, 1974, and if there were no unanticipated difficulties work could be in progress by the summer of 1975. Would the Deputy talk now to Galway County Council and not to me? It is they are doing the job, not me.
The Minister is passing the buck.
27.
asked the Minister for Local Government the present position regarding the Lackaghmore group water scheme, County Galway.
My Department will shortly allocate grants for this scheme and the group may then arrange the commencement of work.
28.
asked the Minister for Local Government the present position regarding the proposed group sewerage scheme in respect of Tully, Renvyle, County Galway.
The possibility of providing group sewerage facilities for part of the Tully-Renvyle area has been investigated by my Department on a number of occasions. I am advised, however, that a scheme to serve the houses in the area would, by reason of cost, be outside the scope of group effort. It would be a matter for Galway County Council to consider the provision of a public sewerage scheme for the Tully-Renvyle area.
29.
asked the Minister for Local Government the present position regarding the proposed group water scheme at Cloonluane, Renvyle, County Galway.
The design of this scheme to serve 35 houses is with Galway County Council for formal approval.
Can the Minister state when this scheme was first applied for?
The design of the scheme was sent to Galway County Council on 24th October, 1973, for formal approval. The original proposal involved six houses and the proposed source was Tullylough. The council informed the Department in November, 1971, that a letter had been received from representatives of the Williams family agreeing to extraction of the water. Therefore in reply to the Deputy, this matter had been lying in the county council and the Department from 1971 until recently when I had the matter taken up. The design is with the county council for approval.
Can the Minister state whether the Williams family, whom he has mentioned in his supplementary reply, have indicated their preparedness to allow water to be extracted from the private water rights they hold?
Yes, in November, 1971.
I should like to tell the Minister this is not the information forthcoming from Galway County Council. They say they have not yet cleared the right to extract water from the Williams lake.
The Galway County Council wrote to my predecessor in November, 1971, confirming that the Williams family had agreed to extraction of the water.
This is correct. They agreed then but obviously there has been some tardiness since because the necessary legal requirements have not been completed by the local authority to authorise them to extract the water, although the Williams family indicated at that time they would allow it.
They agreed then but apparently because of the long delay there has been some difficulty in getting a final agreement with the family.
It appears someone fell asleep during the last 12 months.
Perhaps it might be they would do it for Deputy Molloy but not for the Minister?
Deputy Molloy could have worked on the matter in 1971 and 1972. I came into office in 1973.
We cannot debate this question all afternoon. I am calling Question No. 30.
There has been very little progress on it since I left the Department.
It had been lying there for many months.
I have called Question No. 30.