asked the Minister for Finance the funds which have been provided in the Estimates for 1988 for work on the arterial drainage of the Owenmore and Arrow rivers in County Sligo.
60.
Written Answers. - Arterial Drainage.
56.
asked the Minister for Finance the progress, if any, that has been made in 1987 on the design for the arterial drainage scheme for the Owenmore and Arrow rivers in County Sligo; the amount of design work still remaining to be completed; the staff now engaged in a full time or part time capacity on the design work; when the design will be finished; the duration of time it will take to implement a cost/benefit analysis of the scheme; and when the scheme for the Owenmore and Arrow rivers, County Sligo will be posted; and when work will commence.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 56 and 60 together.
Since the resumption of the design of a comprehensive arterial drainage scheme for the Owenmore and Arrow river catchment, it has been possible, by the assignment of one engineer, full time, and one engineer, part time, together with the back-up services provided by the hydrology, hydrometric and other specialist units within the Office of Public Works, to bring the design to approximately 40 per cent completion. As a considerable amount of work remains to be done, I have allocated sufficient resources in 1988 to ensure that a preliminary design for this major scheme will be completed in the summer of 1989. In the absence of design details, it is not possible to accurately assess the likely duration of the cost/benefit and environmental analyses or to say when scheme works might be commenced.
The question of providing funds in 1988 for the scheme works does not arise.
57.
asked the Minister for Finance the expenditure this year to date on arterial drainage work, apart from maintenance work; and the projected expenditure for the whole of 1987.
58.
asked the Minister for Finance the expenditure provided for in the 1987 Estimates for arterial drainage; and the amount provided for it in the 1988 Estimates.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 57 and 58 together.
A total of £6.77 million was provided this year for arterial drainage construction works of which £5.8 million has been spent to date. Total expenditure for the year will amount to £7.0 million approximately.
A provision of £4.3 million has been made for works in 1988.
59.
asked the Minister for Finance the rivers on which arterial drainage works were being carried out in 1987, apart from maintenance work; and the rivers on which arterial drainage works, apart from maintenance work, is scheduled to be carried out in 1988.
Construction works are in progress on arterial drainage schemes for the Boyle, Bonet and Monaghan Blackwater river catchments and these will continue in 1988.