asked the Minister for Finance when payment of moneys due to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be made.
Written Answers. - Payment of Moneys.
85.
The claim for compensation in question has been examined by the Commissioners of Public Works and payment will issue shortly.
87.
asked the Minister for Finance the total cost to date of the arterial drainage scheme on the Bonet/Boyle rivers; the projected total cost of the scheme; and the amount of the total cost which will be recovered by way of grant from the EC.
89.
asked the Minister for Finance when work will be completed on (i) the Bonet catchment area and (ii) the Boyle catchment area of the Bonet/Boyle arterial drainage scheme; and the estimated cost of the work that remains to be done on each section.
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 87 and 89 together.
It is expected that the Bonet scheme will be certified complete early in 1990 and the Boyle in 1993. Total expenditure to date on these schemes amounts to £18 million of which almost £5 million was recovered by way of EC grants. The projected total cost of completing the schemes as scheduled is of the order of £29 million. It is, however, intended to curtail works on environmental and economic grounds. Outstanding scheduled works on the Bonet scheme are estimated to cost almost £1 million while those on the Boyle would cost almost £10 million.
88.
asked the Minister for Finance the arterial drainage work, if any, being carried out by the Office of Public Works, which will remain on hand after work on the Bonet/Boyle scheme is completed; and the new arterial drainage scheme or schemes, if any, which will be ready for starting when all of the arterial drainage schemes being carried out, as distinct from maintenance work, will be completed.
It is expected that all arterial drainage schemes in progress at present, viz. Boyle/Bonet and Blackwater (Monaghan), will be completed by 1993. I cannot say whether any of the schemes (Owenmore, Mulcair, Dunkellin, Suir) currently at preparation stage will be ready for starting in the meantime since design work has yet to be completed and the schemes must satisfy economic and environmental criteria before a decision can be made in that regard.
90.
asked the Minister for Finance the parts of the River Bonet itself and the rivers and streams or parts thereof in the catchment area, scheduled to be drained in the arterial drainage scheme as posted, still remaining to be drained; the locations and names or reference numbers of all so far undrained parts; the parts it is still intended to drain; if there are any parts from the original plans as posted where it is now intended not to proceed with drainage work; and, if so, the reason.
It is intended to curtail operations on the Bonet catchment drainage scheme by excluding certain scheduled works on environmental (fishery) and economic grounds. The channels being considered in this regard are listed on the table which is being circulated in the Official Report. All other scheduled works have been virtually completed.
|
Channel |
Chainage From-To |
Length (yds) |
Reason for Exclusion |
|
C1 |
268/00-272/00 |
400 |
Cost |
|
276/00-284/00 |
800 |
Fisheries |
|
|
315/00-343/00 |
2,800 |
Fisheries |
|
|
350/00-354/00 |
400 |
Fisheries |
|
|
C1/3/3 |
8/00-14/00 |
600 |
Cost |
|
C1/3/3/1 |
2/50-4/50 |
200 |
Cost |
|
C1/3/4/1 |
0-7/50 |
750 |
Cost |
|
C1/3/4/2 |
9/50-13/30 |
380 |
Cost |
|
C1/4 |
0-24/30 |
2,430 |
Cost |
|
C1/7 |
-1/00-10/00 |
1,100 |
Cost |
|
C1/8 |
4/50-9/00 |
450 |
Cost |
|
C1/12 |
14/50-26/00 |
1,150 |
Fisheries |
|
C1/12/3 |
0-6/70 |
670 |
Cost |
|
C1/13 |
10/00-18/50 |
850 |
Fisheries and Cost |
|
C1/13/2 |
28/00-32/00 |
400 |
Cost |
|
C1/13/2/1 |
0-6/00 |
600 |
Cost |
|
C1/13/2/2 |
8/00-12/50 |
450 |
Cost |
|
C1/13/2/2/1 |
0-1/80 |
180 |
Cost |
|
C1/13/2/2/2 |
0-6/00 |
600 |
Cost |
|
C1/13/2/2/2/1 |
0-4/00 |
400 |
Cost |
|
C1/13/2/3 |
0-3/00 |
300 |
Cost |
|
C1/13/2/3/1 |
0-2/00 |
200 |
Cost |
|
C1/13/3/ |
0-10/00 |
1,000 |
Cost |
|
17,110 |
|||
|
Total |
(9.7 miles) |
91.
asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the section of the River Bonet from Dromahair to Lough Gill is not scheduled for drainage work or clearance work in the Bonet arterial drainage scheme; that because of the improvements resulting from the drainage work up river the position regarding silting and flooding has become much more serious in this particular stretch of the river; that there is considerable blockage caused by trees and shrubs and collapsed river banks; and if, in view of this, he will sanction a programme of work for this stretch of the river while the appropriate machinery is still on the Bonet, to alleviate these difficulties thereby bringing considerable benefit to the farm and forestry land in the area.
The stretch of the River Bonet between Dromahair and Lough Gill was excluded from the Bonet catchment drainage scheme for practical and economic reasons. The channel immediately downstream of Dromahair has a very steep gradient levelling out as it nears the lake. In these lower reaches the channel is greatly influenced by lake levels which would to a large extent negate the effects of any drainage works. In addition the bed of the river is largely composed of rock which would render prohibitive the cost of any works which might be considered.
With regard to the question of siltation, the Commissioners of Public Works have had a number of surveys of the area carried out during the course of scheme works and the results of these show that the drainage scheme has not caused any deterioration of the position. Any flooding which occurs is of shorter duration than existed pre-drainage and the Commissioners are satisfied with the capacity of the river to cater for post drainage flows. The Commissioners will, of course keep the position under review.
92.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline the findings of a survey carried out by the Office of Public Works on the feasibility, value and cost of draining the Killery river, a tributary of the River Bonet, on the Leitrim-Sligo border as part of the Bonet arterial drainage scheme; if his attention has been drawn to the severe damage caused by the flooding of this river and the fact that flooding has become worse in recent years as a result of the arterial drainage work on the Bonet and the resultant increased flow at flood times in the lower stretches of the river.
The Killery river enters the Bonet at a point downstream of Dromahair, County Leitrim. As I have outlined today in a reply to a separate question regarding the drainage of this catchment, these downstream areas were excluded from the scheme for practical and economic reasons. During the course of scheme works a number of representations were made on behalf of the landowners concerned to have this river included in the scheme and it was decided to re-examine the feasibility of carrying out some works in the area when the scheduled works of the scheme has been completed. Early indications for a scheme of works were relatively promising and it was decided to process the matter further. However, more recently it has proved necessary to re-examine the scheme as a whole on environmental and economic grounds and, as I have stated today, also in reply to a parliamentary question relating to the Bonet scheme, it is imperative now that works be curtailed for the reasons stated. The inclusion of Killery river in the Bonet scheme could not be justified as the cost would be incommensurate with the benefits to be derived.
I am satisfied that conditions on the Killery have not been worsened by scheme works.