Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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412. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to address a matter (details supplied) regarding the River Feale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30951/15]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The River Feale Catchment Drainage Scheme was carried by the Office of Public Works (OPW) under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945, and the OPW continues to have a statutory responsibility for the maintenance of this scheme. Each year the OPW carries out work to approximately 2,000km of channels and about 200 structures around the country as part of its ongoing and rolling arterial drainage maintenance programme.

While the river at the location mentioned by the Deputy is part of the River Feale Catchment, it was not included as part of the original scheme and consequently is not maintained by OPW. The OPW does not have the authority to carry out any drainage maintenance operations on this channel as such operations are outside of its statutory remit.