The House will now hear two-minute statements on matters appropriate to the Minister for Finance. I propose to call the Deputies I have selected in the following order: Deputy Nealon and Deputy Deenihan. Each Deputy is entitled to two minutes in respect of each matter and each of the statements will be followed immediately by a two-minute reply by the appropriate Minister.
Adjournment Debate. - Finance Matters.
On previous occasions when I raised the matter of the arterial drainage of the Owenmore and Arrow rivers I did so with a certain optimism, hoping that there would be good news, that I would hear of a plan or a time for starting the work. This time I am raising the issue in the hope of warding off what would be a disaster, a decision by the Government to totally turn down the scheme, but I fear we have reached that position.
In answer to a Dáil question from me on 16 February, the Minister for Finance indicated that the vital decision would be made shortly and that "the current position is that the prospect of devising a viable drainage scheme is not good". Such a statement from the Minister responsible sounds very like a softening-up process for a total rejection of the scheme. I appeal to the Minister to ensure that this is not the sad end to a fight that has gone on for 50 years, at the very time when the Owenmore and Arrow project has finally come to the top of the list.
We are told that the cost-benefit analysis is not favourable. Anyone familiar with this area is at a loss to know how that can be so, especially as the cost-benefit analysis was favourable for the Bonet-Boyle scheme. I question whether the rule has been changed. I am appealing to the Minister to take other factors into consideration, for instance, the effect of a rejection of the scheme on farming in a vast area of south Sligo and the effect on the population that remains there after successive waves of emigration. If we are serious about sustaining the west, the drainage of the Owenmore and Arrow rivers is the kind of work that must be done. We must try to help the farmers there to make a half decent living. We must seek to keep the smoke coming from the chimneys, as they might put it locally. If the Government is serious about the west it cannot let farming die in the Owenmore-Arrow valley on foot of a very doubtful bottom line, a cost-benefit analysis.
The Commissioners of Public Works are empowered by the provisions of the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945, to undertake arterial drainage for the purposes of preventing or substantially reducing the periodic flooding of lands, or of improving lands by drainage. It is clear from the various provisions of the Act that it is envisaged that arterial drainage schemes would be prepared and undertaken only where their execution would result in an improvement in drainage conditions conferring benefit on the affected lands. It is a well accepted principle that benefits cannot be considered in isolation from the cost of creating them. The cost-benefit analysis is a recognised objective for the assessment of the benefits of any scheme in relation to their associated cost. Arterial drainage schemes have for many years been subject to such analysis and indeed they were required by the EC Commission when the EC funds were available for arterial drainage schemes some years ago.
I accept that in deciding whether to undertake the arterial drainage of any catchment area, including the Owenmore-Arrow area, there are other factor which have to be considered, some of which can be assessed objectively, such as, for example, environmental impact and others such as social considerations which cannot be assessed objectively. It is, however, an inescapable reality that the cost-benefit analysis must be a major factor in deciding whether to undertake an arterial drainage scheme, particularly at a time when all schemes are in competition for extremely limited economic resources.
With regard to the Owenmore catchment drainage scheme, the Deputy will be aware that the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Noel Dempsey, has undertaken to meet with the four Deputies from the Sligo-Leitrim constituency to discuss the matter, as soon as the cost/benefit analysis report is finalised.
There is a serious siltation problem on the Cashen River between the ferry bridge and the mouth of the Cashen. This is causing major flooding problems for the farmers who have land in the catchment area of the river right back to Croughcroneen and Ballinaghar five miles from the mouth of the Cashen.
The problem was identified more than 12 years ago when the area was surveyed by the local office of the Office of Public Works. Since then dredging work has not been carried out and the problem has accelerated. Thousands of acres of land are flooded for long periods and is rendered less productive. Sluice gates are being blocked and many are no longer in use because they have been silted over. When the tide is out it is almost possible to wade across the river at several locations between the ferry bridge and the Cashen mouth. If the bed of the river rises by another foot the townlands of Derryra, Derrico, Leigh and Mweevoo will almost certainly be under water for many months during the winter and at other times during heavy rainfall. This problem demands major action.
A substantial amount of money must be spent. The present allocation for maintenance works on the river Feale/Cashen catchment area can only pay the wages of the staff. Maintenance and dredging work of the order required will require a special financial allocation. I appeal to the Minister to consider the siltation of the Cashen as a priority, otherwise the river will rapidly return to the way it was before the Cashen drainage took place in 1950. I would like the Minister to bring this problem to the attention of his leader and Tánaiste, Deputy Spring, who also represents this area and who I am sure shares my concern.
The Cashen river forms the main outfall channel of the Feale river catchment area on which a comprehensive arterial drainage scheme was carried out by the Commissioners of Public Works between 1951 and 1959, which benefited 26,500 acres of damaged land. The Commissioners maintain the completed works of the Feale catchment drainage scheme on an annual basis from the money provided in the Vote for the Office of Public Works for arterial drainage maintenance. A provision of £4.3 million has been made for this service for 1993.
Siltation is an ongoing problem on the Cashen river and, while there is no evidence that it has deteriorated to any significant extent recently, the position is kept under continual review and maintenance is undertaken as deemed necessary. We do not have any evidence that there is urgent need for the removal of silt from the Cashen river and, accordingly, no funds have been allocated for major drainage works this year. In view of the Deputy's comments, I have no doubt that the Tánaiste will inspect the river to ensure that the situation does not deteriorate.
The Dáil adjourned at 9.5 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 3 March 1993.