Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Very few of the river systems in County Cavan are included under the Arterial Drainage Act 1945. The River Erne is a major waterway which, unfortunately, causes serious flooding in parts of counties Cavan, Fermanagh and Donegal. I ask that consideration be given to amending the 1945 Act to include further major river systems such as the River Erne navigation system which is a critical waterway through the three aforementioned counties. The river rises in County Cavan and flows into County Fermanagh and on to County Donegal. There are particular problems in County Fermanagh and I have been urging the Department, with its counterpart in Northern Ireland, to address the flooding issues. Adequate drainage works will never be carried out if they are only done piecemeal under small-scale schemes. The River Erne must be brought under the 1945 Act and a proper programme of drainage and remediation works put in place.

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