Paul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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954. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the river Suck drainage scheme employees; his plans for the drainage works on the river for 2015, and beyond; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20257/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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Local authority drainage functions are performed under the Arterial Drainage Acts. The Office of Public Works, which operates under the aegis of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, is the main agency responsible for the development of policy on arterial drainage in Ireland.

The Local Government Act 2001 (Section 231) Order 2014 provided for the dissolution of specified joint drainage committees, including the River Suck joint drainage committee, with effect from 1 January 2015. From that date, the functions of the joint committees vested in each of the local authorities that formed the committees in respect of that part of the drainage districts that were within each of their administrative areas, subject to any alternative joint arrangements that may be made by the authorities concerned. Accordingly, any ongoing or planned drainage works for 2015 or beyond in Galway or Roscommon, together with any engagement of employees to undertake such works, would be a matter for the local authorities concerned.