§ MR. J. TULLYI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, whether the attention of the Board of Works has been directed to the periodical flooding of the Shannon, and Suck Valleys; whether he is aware that the obstructions in the bed of the river, in the stretch between Athlone and Meelick, are a cause of these floodings; what has been the estimate of the Board of Works' engineers as to the cost of blasting or removing them; and, whether, in view of the advantages of deepening the river, and thus lessening the liability to floods on the upper reaches affecting Roscommon and Leitrim, and also on the River Suck, he will state what action the Board of Works are prepared to take in the matter?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURYThe answer to the first paragraph is in the affirmative. I 1218 am informed that there are obstructions in the river between Athlone and Meelick, which tend to keep up the flood water levels between these two points, and on the lower course of the River Suck, and also to some extent on the reaches above Athlone, by delaying the escape of the flood waters. Numerous improvements have in recent years been effected by Government without any cost to the locality; and the late Government decided not to undertake further improvements unless substantial local aid was forthcoming. For that reason no estimate of the cost of the works to which the hon. Member refers has been obtained.