Ned O'Keeffe
Ceist:97 Mr. N. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will arrange to replace equipment which has broken down at a site (details supplied) in County Cork. [11110/01]
Written Answers - Equipment Replacement.
My Department does not have responsibility for the maintenance or upkeep of sluice gates in general. However, in the acquisition of certain estates the former Land Commission retained a portion of the purchase money for the ongoing upkeep of embankments and sluices on those estates. These funds were entrusted to the public trustee, who is now an officer of my Department, who invests the funds and the income derived is used for the purposes set out in an individual trust deed for each estate.
As regards the site in question, a small trust fund was set up in 1917 for the upkeep of an embankment and palisade bounding or sheltering the holdings of named tenant occupiers. Local trustees were appointed who could apply to the public trustee to release funds to cover maintenance work. If the sluice referred to by the Deputy is on the embankment or palisade to which the trust fund relates, the trustees should contact the public trustee at my Department's Cavan office.