andMr. Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the prospects of obtaining EEC aid for the full or partial drainage of the Shannon; if the recommended studies in the Rydell Report have been, or will be carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The possibility of including the Shannon basin drainage project with the projects which would qualify for EEC aid is under consideration.

The preliminary investigations recommended in the Rydell Report were carried out jointly by the Office of Public Works and the Electricity Supply Board. This report, published in 1961, indicated that further more detailed investigations would be necessary before a scheme could be prepared. These investigations have not so far been undertaken except that the hydrometric survey being made of the country generally includes the Shannon catchment.

Is the Minister aware of the vast acreage of land under water in Roscommon for most of the year? Will the Minister now ensure that funds will be made available for the major drainage of this river?

The Deputy may not be aware that I have made a very deep study and given careful consideration to the Shannon. Discussions are taking place with other relevant Departments in the matter and those have not yet been completed. Until such time as they are completed I cannot comment any further.

When does the Minister expect to have these investigations completed?

That depends on the other Departments.

Does the Minister intend to carry out any further studies recommended by the Rydell consultant in 1961 and if so when? Would the Minister agree that to carry out such studies would intimate to the EEC our seriousness in the matter and that might encourage them to give us the money we are looking for?

Until such time as I have the relevant information from the Departments concerned I cannot give the Deputy any further information on this.

What information is the Minister seeking and from which Departments?

There are a number of Departments involved in this, for instance the Department of Finance——

Question No. 21.

——the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Environment.

What information does the Minister want that he has not got?

If the Deputy wishes to put down a question in relation to all the information he can do so. There was no mention of the Shannon during the Deputy's period in office. I have taken time to consider the two reports——

The Minister has not recruited any extra staff.

Question No. 21.

Could the Minister give me an assurance that he will use his influence to expedite this drainage?

As I have already said, I have given very deep consideration to both reports submitted to my Department and I have now asked for certain information from other Departments in relation to the Shannon.

Will the Minister tell us what information he is waiting for?

I would assume that the Deputy would have some idea as to the information that would be sought from the Departments concerned.

Will the Minister enlighten my ignorance by telling me what information he is looking for?

Put down a question and I will give all the information the Deputy needs.

Does the Minister himself know?

andMr. Donnellan asked the Minister for Finance the extent to which the staff of the Office of Public Works has been augmented to cope with the extra arterial drainage activity arising from EEC aid, pursuant to the assessment referred to in his reply to Question No. 28 of 27 June 1978.

An increase in the number of engineering posts in the Office of Public Works at various grades was authorised in July 1978 to cope with additional marine work projects and extra schemes under the arterial drainage programme including schemes being assisted by financial contributions from the EEC.

Recruitment of the staff to fill these posts and the normal vacancies arising from resignations and retirements has, however, proved to be slow. This has arisen mainly from the rather low level of salary of engineers in the civil service. In addition the prolonged postal strike interfered with the clearance of candidates from the most recent civil service competition and delayed the holding of a further competition which was planned. Recent indications are, however, encouraging. Staff negotiations with the Department of the Public Service in regard to revision of salaries are at a fairly advanced stage and the current year's final engineering students have responded well to an invitation to be considered for temporary posts in the Office of Public Works pending the holding of a Civil Service Commission competition.

Is the Minister aware that engineers who were working on preliminary work regarding the arterial drainage of the Note had to be withdrawn because there were not sufficient engineers to carry out the work on the Bonnet and on other rivers in the west? Would the Minister agree that because of the lack of engineers, the only effect of the EEC aid is to ensure that we remove drainage resources from one part of the country to another but without there being any net increase in the level of activity?

That is what I have said in my reply, but we are trying to rectify this problem of engineering staff. The Deputy is aware, too, that the building industry is booming now and engineers are being attracted to that sphere.

Is it not the position that engineers who start in the Board of Works leave after two or three years to take up more lucrative employment?

That is so.

Since the Minister has mentioned the lack of remuneration as being the cause of the staffing problem, can he say what steps are being taken to raise the level of remuneration and when he expects any such step might be brought to fruition?

That is a matter that is being considered by the Department of the Public Service.

When may we expect a decision?

Soon.