Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 26 Oct 2000

Vol. 525 No. 1

Ceisteanna–Questions. Priority Questions. - Flood Relief.

Ulick Burke

Ceist:

5 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Finance the amount of the £2 million, provided under Budget 2000, spent to date by his Department or the local co-ordinating committee, which was established by his Department, in relation to the flood alleviation scheme for south Galway; the planning process of each of the schemes involved; the difficulties in this planning process; and the starting date and works to be carried out in each of the sections in the overall scheme. [23453/00]

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

In the budget for the year 2000 a specific provision of IR£2.5 million was made for special works which would alleviate flooding in the south Galway area. On 10 January 2000, I appointed a steering group to bring forward proposals for the expenditure of up to IR£2.5 million for special works to alleviate the effects of flooding in the south Galway area and to report back to me.

This money remains available but certain issues need to be addressed before the works can be executed. These issues are in hand which I will summarise for the Deputy. The first meeting of the group was held on 13 January and it has met on six occasions. I am in receipt of reports from these meetings. Initially there were five schemes proposed for attention. The up-to-date position on each scheme is as follows. In relation to Ballyglass-Cregclare-Ardrahan, detailed drawings have been prepared and an environmental statement is being completed by the consultant engineers. A survey of all reputed proprietors, owners and rated or other occupiers of the several lands proposed to be interfered with is currently under way by staff from the Office of Public Works with a view to putting forward a scheme for public exhibition by the end of this year. In the meantime, Galway County Council has been contacted to carry out essential maintenance on a section of the tributary which forms part of the Dunkellin drainage district. This should be of some help in the short term.

In Mannin Cross the consultant engineers are currently completing revised drawings to show reduced control water levels, which will then be passed to Dúchas for its observations. The downstream consequences of any scheme must also be evaluated and this will be done by monitoring the rate of rise of water levels over a winter period. This assessment is being undertaken at present.

In Termon the consultant engineers are engaged in ongoing hydrological analysis of this proposed scheme. The effect on the River Fergus must also be determined. This requires a full winter's cycle of data on flows from Termon to be assessed. This is being carried out over this winter. Monitoring of these flows is ongoing and the findings should be available by the end of April, 2001.

In relation to Kilchreest, the downstream effects of any proposed works will require a full winter's monitoring and this is being carried out over this winter. In relation to Kiltiernan-Ballinderreen, Office of Public Works staff have completed a survey of the area and this is currently being examined in conjunction with the original design completed by consulting engineers and also taking account the various environmental restrictions imposed by Dúchas. It is expected a report will be prepared early in 2001.

In addition to the aforementioned schemes, the steering group invited submissions from interested bodies and individuals regarding other works which might be considered for attention. As a consequence, staff from the Office of Public Works undertook a survey of the Roo Demesne area. It is felt by the steering committee that the problems in this area might be dealt with locally.

Two culverts were identified for replacement in the Kinvara area to restore the drainage to what it was prior to raising the roads. Galway County Council has been requested to undertake these works.

Two further applications are being processed under the 1995 home relocation scheme. The total expenditure to date is approximately IR£42,000 made up of fees and expenses.

Mr. U. Burke

Again there is talk of reports, studies and assessment. Does the Minister of State realise that the Peach report cost £1 million and no flood alleviation has been carried out to date? Of the £2.5 million provided in last year's budget, will the Minister of State indicate whether that will remain in place until work begins or will some of the money finance the other works he has outlined? Does he realise that people living in this flood threatened area are in terror of repeated flooding?

An Ceann Comhairle

I remind the Deputy of the time factor.

Mr. U. Burke

There is still one family living in the area affected by the flooding, who have not availed of relocation. I compliment the steering committee on the work it has carried out. However, can this family avail of relocation through the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, which must get the blessing of the steering committee and the Minister of State's Department?

Mr. Cullen

I am pleased the Deputy acknowledged that the steering committee was set up and has done excellent work. He is aware that neither I nor anyone else can go into an area until all the proper procedures are completed such as environmental impact statements, economic assessments and the effects downstream. These are tedious and slow to deliver in terms of results. The Deputy knows I cannot carry out an assessment based on what happens in the winter. I must know what happens in the summer, autumn and spring.

The Deputy knows I cannot do an assessment based on what happens in the winter alone. If I measure water levels in the summer when it is dry and base a scheme on that I will be laughed at. The Deputy knows we must do this. We have moved as quickly as possible to bring in a scheme. Nothing has dominated more in the Department than this area of south Galway. The report to which the Deputy referred is a valuable resource for Galway County Council in terms of its future planning. It demonstrated that, at the end of the day, very little could be done given the topography and configuration of the area. When the Minister for Finance made the extra £2.5 million available I decided to deliver schemes in some specific peripheral areas but my officials and I are constrained by the laws and legalities relating to the carrying out of this scheme, not to mention environmental impact statements and so on that must be completed in the public interest so that everyone is satisfied and in agreement with what we must do.

Mr. U. Burke

Is the £2.5 million intact and will it remain so?

Mr. Cullen

It is.

Mr. U. Burke

Will the Minister consider the family that is still living with this threat? He spoke of being a laughing stock but the report covered three years and all the seasons, three times over. There is no justification for further delay in implementing the work.

Mr. Cullen

The overall scheme to which the Deputy refers will be a resource for Galway for the next 100 years. No other area will have that. The report is a valuable one and represents money well spent. The specific small peripheral schemes were not covered in that report. The steering committee was set up and money was provided. Out of £2.5 million, £42,000 was spent. The money is intact to deliver the schemes and no-one wants to deliver them more than I and other Deputies from Galway, including the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, who has been involved in this also as the Deputy knows.

An Ceann Comhairle

That concludes the time for Priority Questions. We will now deal with other Questions. I remind Members that supplementary questions and replies are strictly limited to one minute, with an overall limit of six minutes for each question.