Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I ask that renewed and special emphasis be placed on the necessity for arterial drainage. It should be focused on as an issue that can have an effect all over the country. The emphasis at the moment is on rewetting. After recent events, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will agree with me that the country is wet enough right now and that in order to maintain the quality of the soil and to avoid landslides, etc., it is essential to ensure the water gets away as quickly as possible. The policy heretofore has been to slow down the manner in which the water is disposed of. It is necessary now to put in place measures to clean rivers and waterways, improve them where necessary and have an overall national plan to ensure the country is in a position to get rid of the water supply we have at the moment. I hope we can cater for that by way of special emphasis.

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