asked the Minister for Finance whether he is aware that serious damage is being caused as a result of the flooding of a large area of land in the vicinity of Bunduff, parish of Ahamblish, Co. Sligo; and whether he will authorise the allocation of a sufficient sum from the Relief of Distress Grant to have these lands properly drained.

asked the Minister for Finance whether he is aware that serious damage is being caused by the overflowing of the River Duff, on the borders of Sligo and Leitrim; and whether he proposes to allocate a grant to enable the drainage of that river to be carried out.

No petition has been received for works in either of these areas under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1925, and no proposal has been received by the Commissioners of Public Works for the execution of works under a Relief Grant; but any proposal which may be received will be duly considered.

If a petition is forwarded to the Parliamentary Secretary in connection with the drainage of the lands in the vicinity of Bunduff will he undertake to see that sufficient funds are allocated to carry out the drainage?

I cannot say that. As a matter of fact, it is very unlikely that we will be able to do anything in the way of drainage on this relief grant at all because, as I have already stated, the operations do not lend themselves to carrying out in the winter time except in very unusual circumstances.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that in the case of Bunduff a considerable sum was spent by the Land Commission for electioneering purposes in this place some years ago and that no real improvement was effected? I think he should consider the matter now in view of the fact that there is £300,000 available and see that a sufficient grant is allocated and that the work is placed in competent hands.