Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 8 Jul 1992

Vol. 422 No. 4

Written Answers. - County Roscommon Drainage Scheme.

Jim Higgins

Ceist:

42 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Finance the amounts of financial allocations made to the Boyle Bonet drainage scheme since the scheme commenced; the numbers of workers employed for each of the years since the scheme commenced; if it is proposed to complete the full programme as originally designed and drafted; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Jim Higgins

Ceist:

62 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Finance if the Boyle Bonet River drainage programme, as originally designed and drafted, will be completed in its entirety; if so, if he will outline the projected date for the completion of the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Mr. N. Treacy):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 62 together.

The Boyle Catchment Drainage Scheme (situated mainly in County Roscommon) and the Bonet Catchment Drainage scheme (situated mainly in County Leitrim) are, in fact, two separate schemes which are being carried out under the provisions of the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945. Works on these two schemes commenced in 1982.

The scheduled works on the Boyle Scheme are 70 per cent complete and at the moment consideration is being given to the action required to ensure that the overall cost estimate is not exceeded and that environmentally sensitive areas are not interfered with. It is hoped to have the examination completed shortly and to bring the scheme to a conclusion in 1993.

In January this year operations on the Bonet scheme were suspended indefinitely on economic and environmental grounds, with about 92 per cent of the scheduled works completed. Because of a serious risk of damaging important fisheries and the possibility of large compensation claims arising as a result, no work was undertaken in a number of sensitive areas. There are no plans at present to re-commence work.

The following table shows the financial allocations for these schemes and the numbers employed annually since works started:

Years	Allocations	Employees
	£
1982	200,000	25
1983	1,370,000	87
1984	1,883,000	97
1985	3,047,000	140
1986	3,630,000	150
1987	3,740,000	183
1988	2,376,000	106
1989	2,336,000	97
1990	2,302,000	98
1991	2,342,000	95
1992	2,200,000 (est.)	85