Written answers

Wednesday, 20 April 2016

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Drainage Schemes Status

Photo of Brendan GriffinBrendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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132. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a matter (details supplied) will be addressed at lands in Boolteens, Castlemaine, County Kerry, following works to address recent damage caused by storms [7644/16]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The query relates to part of the River Maine Catchment Drainage Scheme which is maintained by the Office of Public Works (OPW). Regional staff of the OPW have liaised regularly with the person named. Excessive rainfall has been experienced in recent months which has resulted in a high water table throughout the catchment. The OPW will continue to monitor the situation.

Photo of Brendan GriffinBrendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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133. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a matter for a person (details supplied) will be addressed at lands in Castleisland, County Kerry, following previous works to address river erosion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7645/16]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As outlined to the Deputy in previous replies to Parliamentary Questions on this subject, the channel in question is part of the River Maine Catchment Drainage Scheme which was carried out by the Office of Public Works (OPW) under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945. The OPW continues to have a statutory responsibility for the maintenance of this scheme.

Each year the OPW carries out work to approximately 2,000 km of channels and some 200 structures around the country as part of its ongoing and rolling arterial drainage maintenance programme. While the average cycle of maintenance is generally in the range of 4 to 7 years, the OPW does routinely inspect all channels and structures for which it has maintenance responsibility. The timing of work on individual projects is determined having regard to the needs of regular maintenance and the prioritisation of urgent jobs.

In the case of the River Maine Catchment Drainage Scheme, maintenance resources are currently concentrated on works to damaged defences in tidal reaches and it is not possible at this stage to provide a specific timeframe when work will proceed at the location mentioned by the Deputy.

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