Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 24 Oct 1995

Vol. 457 No. 4

Written Answers. - Mulcair River (County Limerick).

Willie O'Dea

Ceist:

71 Mr. O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the dissatisfaction which has arisen due to the inadequate patchwork that is being done by the Office of Public Works on the Mulcair River, County Limerick; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that a more comprehensive job could be done by starting at the mouth of the river and working up lowering the water table as the job progresses; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that the machines that do this job efficiently and cheaply now exist; if he intends to review the activities of the Office of the Public Works on the Mulcair River to secure a comprehensive and adequate result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15385/95]

Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Mr. Coveney)

The Office of Public Works has no responsibility for works on the Mulcair river. It is not undertaking any work on the river.

Over the past few years, the Commissioners of Public Works have been engaged in the survey, design and the economic and environmental evaluation of various options for the execution of an arterial drainage scheme for the Mulcair catchment under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945. All prospective costs and benefits have been included in the various analyses undertaken but it has not proved possible to devise an economically acceptable scheme.

The Commissioners of Public Works are currently engaged in designing flood relief schemes for Cappamore and Newport, both of which suffer as a result of flooding of the Mulcair. The Deputy can be assured that the methodology that will be followed and the machines that will be used in the execution of these proposed schemes will be in line with currently accepted best practices.