asked the Minister for Finance when his Department will take steps to prevent the very severe flooding of the Limerick-Sligo railway line and farms near Ballycar, Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
422.
Written Answers. - Clare Flooding.
421.
asked the Minister for Finance when his Department will take steps to protect Clarecastle village and the national primary route from the tidal flooding of the River Fergus, County Clare which again caused serious damage recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 421 and 422 together.
The areas in question are situated in the Fergus river catchment and drainage works there could be carried out by the Commissioners of Public Works only in the context of a comprehensive arterial drainage scheme under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945, for the Fergus catchment as a whole.
The Fergus catchment is on the priority list of major catchments to be considered for treatment under the Act. However because of existing commitments to schemes of higher priority, I could not say when the Fergus might be reached in the arterial drainage programme.