Vol. 448 No. 6
64 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Finance if the proposed changes in the Arterial Drainage Act will allow his Department to proceed with the drainage of the remaining sections of the Bonnet and Boyle rivers; and if it will allow work to commence on the Arrow/Owenmore scheme. [2706/95]
The Bonet and Boyle catchment drainage schemes were undertaken by the Commissioners of Public Works pursuant to the provisions of the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945, and in the circumstances the need to amend the legislation to enable these schemes to be completed does not arise.
Operations on the Bonet scheme ceased in January 1992 with some 92 per cent of scheduled works finished. Works on a number of channels were curtailed for environmental and economic reasons and there are no plans to resume operations. Consideration is now being given to the curtailment of operations of the Boyle scheme on similar, though mainly economic, grounds.
Changes in legislation would not alter these basic arguments against the prolongation of works.
In so far as the Owenmore/Arrow is concerned, the commissioners have carried out detailed cost/benefit analyses of a number of drainage options for this catchment, also prepared pursuant to the provisions of the 1945 Act. So far, however, it has not been possible to devise an economic scheme although the matter is being kept under review.
