andMr. Donnellan asked the Minister for Finance if there will be an acceleration in the overall amount of arterial drainage being carried out in the country as a whole as a result of the introduction of the EEC-aided accelerated schemes in the west of Ireland; and, if so, if he will (a) state the extent of the anticipated acceleration in terms of the numbers of acres drained and men employed in the next five years as against the preceeding five years, (b) arrange for the EEC-aided schemes to be separately accounted for from the Office of Public Works on-going arterial drainage programme so as to make it evident that the latter is being maintained independently.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Arterial Drainage.
25.
The answer to the first part of the question is yes. The extent of the acceleration of the drainage programme will be the work under the three EEC-aided arterial drainage schemes proposed in the west of Ireland, that is in the catchments of the Corrib-Mask-Robe, the Boyne and the Bonet. Under those schemes it is expected that about 57,000 acres will benefit and that at peak some 600 men will be employed on the works. Each scheme will be carried out under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945 and will be separately costed and accounted for.
If the 57,000 acres are to be drained over five years, how many more acres per five-year period will be drained under the accelerated scheme than were drained in the past five years under the normal scheme?
As the Deputy knows, we cannot give an accurate figure of the amount of land that will be available until the drainage has been completed. The draining of the Boyne benefited 150,000 acres and the Corrib-Mask scheme will benefit 57,000 acres.
It looks as if what it is proposed to drain under the accelerated scheme is less than the area being drained under existing schemes. Would the Minister state the degree of acceleration involved, if any?
This year there has been a great concentration on drainage schemes. We have five schemes moving this year.
Could the Minister say the number of extra acres per year or per five years to be drained over the next five years as against the number drained in the last five years? How much of an increase in the rate of drainage will take place?
That is a separate question. The Deputy is asking for other drainage schemes.
If the Minister would look at the question on the Order Paper he will see that that is precisely the question I asked and the Minister has not answered it.
Question No. 26, please.
Yes, I have. Under these schemes it is expected that about 57,000 acres of land will benefit and that at a peak some 600 men will be employed on the works.
The Minister has already told me that 150,000 acres were drained under the Boyne scheme, which is over. In fact the Minister will drain less under the accelerated scheme.
If the Deputy wishes to put down a question——
I have put down a question and I have not got the answer.
(Interruptions.)
Order. Question No. 26.
The Minister is using EEC money to substitute for Irish money and he is not accelerating the drainage at all.
The Deputy should put down a question.
I have.
26.
asked the Minister for Finance why the provision for construction works for arterial drainage in the 1978 Estimates was underspent to the extent of £1 million or almost one quarter of the amount provided.
The provision in 1978 for arterial drainage construction works was underspent by some £900,000 because: (i) works on the Corrib/Mask/Robe did not commence until the current year; (ii) work on the proposed new bridge for Drogheda has been held up by difficulties in the acquisition of property; and (iii) there was under-expenditure in compensation payments.
Would the Minister agree that it is outrageous that £1 million voted in this House for arterial drainage should not have been spent?
I have given the reasons.
Why did the Minister not start the Corrib-Mask scheme?
Why did the Deputy's Government not? We are starting it.
(Interruptions.)
Fianna Fáil have been in office now for a year and a half, and they have been talking for years.
During the Coalition term of office they had one drainage scheme going, we have five this year.