asked the Minister for the Environment when a decision will be made on Cork Corporation's application for £800,000 to get urgent work under way to alleviate flooding of the city centre and the southside of Cork city.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cork City Flooding.
11.
I understand that detailed proposals in relation to the expenditure of £800,000 referred to by the Deputy are being prepared by Cork Corporation. Their submission is awaited in my Department. In these circumstances, it is not possible for me to anticipate when a decision may be made in this matter.
Is the Minister aware that there is a certain amount of cynicism in Cork about his visit there — that it was a public relations exercise only — to which I do not subscribe, knowing him to be an honourable man——
I know that.
If the Minister looks back on the records he will find that when there is heavy flooding in the centre of Cork city in October, generally that flooding is repeated in March of the following year. We would hope that the money necessary to avoid the damage occasioned by the floods in October being repeated next March will be forthcoming from the Minister as soon as possible in order to avoid such recurrence.
I appreciate what the Deputy is saying. Perhaps the Deputy himself might be in a position to influence the speedy submission of the matter to which he refers by way of report to me. I take it that he is referring in particular to the city centre culverts, a scheme that has been fully approved.
Would the Minister accept that a scheme designed to relieve flooding on the south side of the city has been devised and submitted to his Department — as was mentioned by Deputy Barry? It is known as the Inchigaggin drainage scheme and still awaits sanction. Would the Minister agree that, were that scheme sanctioned and the necessary moneys made available for the work to be carried out, a great deal of the flooding referred to already would be eliminated in future years? Would the Minister accept that the delay is occasioned by his Department?
If I were the Deputy I would not pursue that too actively because certificates confirming the land acquisition in respect of the Inchigaggin, Suir and Curraheen rivers scheme to which she refers have not been submitted.
There is one outstanding item. That will be in the Minister's Department on Monday morning.
We move now to priority questions.
Before the Deputy puts down a question she should make sure that these things have been submitted.
That is no excuse.
I know the kind of response we would get if I sanctioned things that had not even been submitted.
Order, please. I am calling Question No. 57.
May I raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of Question No. 13 on today's Order Paper.
I will communicate with the Deputy.