asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware of serious damage being caused by flooding to land in Cookstown, County Cork along the river Bride; and what steps he proposes to take to rectify the matter.

The River Bride will be considered by the Commissioners of Public Works for treatment under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945, in due course but it is not possible at present to say when it will be reached in the drainage programme.

27.

asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware of the extensive flooding of agricultural lands in the Buttevant-Churchtown district, County Cork, caused by the frequent flooding of the Awbeg river; and if he will consider extending the maintenance boundary so that Cork County Council may extend their annual dredging operations to give temporary relief to those affected farms.

The extent of the Awbeg drainage district was defined in the final award made in January, 1937 under the Arterial Act, 1925, and I have no power to alter it.