Erne Drainage and Development Act, 1950
In short
This law authorizes agreements for a scheme to drain lands around Upper and Lower Lough Erne and the River Erne, and to develop water power from these areas for electricity generation. It also provides for the dissolution of the Lough and River Erne Drainage and Navigation Board.
What it regulates
- Agreements between the Electricity Supply Board and the Ministry of Finance for Northern Ireland regarding the Erne drainage and development scheme.
- The dissolution of the Lough and River Erne Drainage and Navigation Board.
- The disposal of property belonging to the dissolved Drainage Board.
- Arrangements for managing water levels in Lough Erne after the Drainage Board's dissolution.
Who it concerns
- The Electricity Supply Board (referred to as "the Board").
- The Ministry of Finance for Northern Ireland (referred to as "the Ministry").
- The Lough and River Erne Drainage and Navigation Board (referred to as "the Drainage Board").
- Proprietors of land in the Counties of Cavan and Monaghan.
Key points
- The Electricity Supply Board is authorized to enter into a principal agreement with the Ministry of Finance for Northern Ireland, based on a scheduled draft.
- Supplemental agreements can be made, but require Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann to not pass a resolution against them within ten sitting days.
- The Drainage Board will be dissolved on a day appointed by order of the Minister for Industry and Commerce.
- Upon dissolution, the Drainage Board's property will vest in trustees to sell and use the proceeds to discharge liabilities and pay any balance to the Ministry.
Legal text
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- s)or rangeBliain nó blianta nó raon TypeCineál All Legislation Acts Statutory Instruments Advanced SearchCuardach Casta HomeBaile ActsAchtanna 1950 Erne Drainage and Development Act, 1950 Erne Drainage and Development Act, 1950 Permanent Page URL View by SectionAmharc de réir Ailt View Full ActAmharc ar an Acht Iomlán Bill History Stair Bille Commencement, Amendments, SIs made under the Act Tosach Feidhme, Leasuithe, IRí arna ndéanamh faoin Acht Print Full ActPriontáil an tAcht Iomlán Number 15 of 1950. ERNE DRAINAGE AND DEVELOPMENT ACT, 1950. ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS Section 1. Interpretation. 2. Power to enter into agreement in terms of scheduled draft. 3. Power to enter into supplemental agreements. 4. Power to carry out principal agreement. 5. Defrayment of expenses incurred by the Board. 6. Dissolution of the Drainage Board. 7. Disposal of property of Drainage Board. 8. Arrangements in respect of other matters arising out of the dissolution of the Drainage Board. 9. Award of 1891. 10. Disputes between the Board and the Ministry. 11. Belleek bridge. 12. Exemption of agreements from stamp duty. 13. Repeal. 14. Short title. SCHEDULE . Draft Agreement FIRST SCHEDULE SECOND SCHEDULE Act Referred to Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Act, 1945 No. 12 of 1945 Number 15 of 1950. ERNE DRAINAGE AND DEVELOPMENT ACT, 1950. AN ACT TO AUTHORISE THE MAKING OF AND THE GIVING OF EFFECT TO CERTAIN AGREEMENTS WITH RESPECT TO A SCHEME FOR THE DRAINAGE OF LANDS AROUND UPPER AND LOWER LOUGH ERNE AND THE RIVER ERNE AND FOR THE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF GENERATING ELECTRICITY OF WATER POWER DERIVED THEREFROM, TO PROVIDE FOR THE DISSOLUTION OF THE LOUGH AND RIVER ERNE DRAINAGE AND NAVIGATION BOARD AND TO PROVIDE FOR OTHER MATTERS CONNECTED WITH THE MATTERS AFORESAID. [13th June, 1950.] BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:— Interpretation. 1.—In this Act— the expression “the Board” means the Electricity Supply Board; the expression “the draft agreement” means the draft agreement set out in the Schedule to this Act; the expression “the Drainage Board” means the Lough and River Erne Drainage and Navigation Board; the expression “the Loughs” means both Upper and Lower Lough Erne; the expression “the Minister” means the Minister for Industry and Commerce; the expression “the Ministry” means the Ministry of Finance for Northern Ireland; the expression “the principal agreement” has the meaning assigned to it in subsection
- a)it has been laid before Dáil Éireann and has remained so laid for the next ten days on which Dáil Éireann has sat after it was so laid, (
- b)during the said ten days, Dáil Éireann has not passed a resolution that it shall not be entered into, (
- c)it has been laid before Seanad Éireann and has remained so laid for the next ten days on which Seanad Éireann has sat after it was so laid, and (
- d)during the said ten days, Seanad Éireann has not passed a resolution that it shall not be entered into. Power to carry out principal agreement. 4.—For the purposes of carrying the principal agreement into effect, the Board shall have and may exercise all such powers as may be necessary for or incidental to the due performance of their obligations under the principal agreement. Defrayment of expenses incurred by the Board. 5.—All expenses incurred by the Board in discharging any liability arising out of the principal agreement shall be defrayed as part of their general expenses. Dissolution of the Drainage Board. 6.—As from such day as the Minister shall by order appoint, the Drainage Board shall, by virtue of this section, be dissolved. Disposal of property of Drainage Board. 7.—
- i)any interference with, injury or damage to public or private property in Northern Ireland, and (
- ii)any interference with, injury or damage to, or the alteration or reconstruction of public roads, bridges, navigation rights or interests, water supplies, drainage, sewerage or other public services or works in Northern Ireland; as a consequence or by reason of— (
- a)the carrying out of the scheduled works or of any matter or thing incidental thereto or the repair, maintenance, renewal or replacement of the scheduled works or any part thereof; or (
- b)the operation of the scheduled works, when completed, including the control and regulation of the levels of the Loughs for the purpose of such operation or otherwise for the purposes of this Agreement; or (
- c)the operation of the existing sluice gates at Belleek under temporary arrangements, made pursuant to the statutory provisions in that behalf, between the Ministry and the appropriate department or departments of the Republic of Ireland, or (
- d)the carrying out of any work or the doing of any matter or thing by the Board in the County of Donegal, or the neglect or default of the Board in the doing of any such matter or thing; or (
- e)any combination of the causes aforesaid; PROVIDED that— (
- a)the Ministry shall not, without the prior consent of the Board, finally settle by agreement any claim for compensation or procure any release thereof for a sum in excess of £500, or such other sum as may from time to time be notified by the Board in writing to the Ministry or carry out without such consent any agreed remedial works estimated by the Ministry to cost more than such sum; (
- b)upon failure to settle a claim for compensation by agreement the Ministry shall not invite the claimant to initiate arbitration proceedings upon such claim without the prior consent of the Board, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld;
- a)during the period from April to September inclusive the water level of the Upper Lough shall not, as far as reasonably preventable, exceed a level of 154.0 feet above O.D., and when and as often during that period it has risen to 153.0 feet above O.D., is rising, and is in the opinion of the Ministry's Engineer or the Board's Engineer likely to rise above 154.0 feet above O.D., the water level of the Lower Lough, if above 151.5 feet above O.D., shall as rapidly as reasonably practicable be reduced by the Board to such level not lower than 151.5 feet above O.D., as may be required by the Ministry's Engineer for the purpose of ensuring that the water level of the Upper Lough may be prevented from rising above, or be brought down to, 154.0 feet above O.D., PROVIDED THAT when the water level of the Upper Lough has reached its maximum and has fallen to 154.0 feet above O.D., or has reached a maximum not in excess of 154.0 feet above O.D., and is falling, the water level of the Lower Lough shall be permitted to rise to such level not exceeding 152.0 feet above O.D., as shall, in the opinion of the Ministry's Engineer, be reasonable; (
- b)during the period from October to March inclusive the water level of the Upper Lough shall not, as far as reasonably preventable, exceed a level of 155.0 feet above O.D., and when and as often as during that period it has risen to 154.0 feet above O.D., is rising, and is in the opinion of the Ministry's Engineer or the Board's Engineer likely to rise above 155.0 feet above O.D., the water level of the Lower Lough, if above 151.5 feet above O.D., shall as rapidly as reasonably practicable be reduced by the Board to such level not lower than 151.5 feet above O.D., as may be required by the Ministry's Engineer for the purpose of ensuring that the water level of the Upper Lough may be prevented from rising above or be brought down to 155.0 feet above O.D. (
- c)the water level of the inter-Lough channel immediately upstream of the Enniskillen Sluices shall not, except for purposes of maintenance and repair, be drawn down to a level of less than 150.0 feet above O.D. Check of discharge capacities of outfall and inter-lough channels. VIII. THE BOARD and the Ministry shall from time to time jointly or separately as shall be agreed, compute and check accurately the capacities of the outfall channel, and of the inter-Lough channel, for the discharge of water, and upon such computation or check being made by either party, the figures, information or data taken or compiled shall forthwith be furnished by that party to the other, together with the conclusions deduced therefrom. Exchange of records of water levels. IX.
- a)the scheduled works or any part or parts thereof, or any other works carried out or supervised and directed by the Ministry pursuant to this Agreement, or pursuant to or in compliance with any statutory provision in force in Northern Ireland at the date of the making of this Agreement relating to or affecting such works or the carrying out, supervision or direction thereof; (
- b)any of the duties, matters or things set out in paragraph III hereof; (
- c)maintenance and repairs carried out by the Ministry under the provisions of paragraph X hereof; (
- d)any matters covered by the indemnity contained in paragraph XI hereof; (
- e)the carrying out by the Ministry of any other provisions of this Agreement (including provisions for controlling and regulating water levels prescribed by paragraph VII hereof); (
- f)administrative, technical, legal and other services in connection with, or for the purpose of, any of the foregoing matters, or otherwise arising from or in connection with the provisions of this Agreement provided however that in payment for the said services or any part thereof there may be paid such fee or fees as may from time to time be agreed; PROVIDED HOWEVER that the Board shall not be called upon to pay, or be responsible for, any expenditure or items of expenditure in respect of any of the foregoing matters which may arise from or be caused by the neglect or default of the Ministry, its officers or servants or of any agents for whose acts the Ministry is in law responsible. Method of payment. XIII PAYMENTS to be made by the Board to the Ministry under this Agreement shall at the option of the Ministry be made at any time or from time to time in any of the following ways, that is to say:— (
- a)by monthly or quarterly payments of the amount incurred by the Ministry; or (
- b)by advances made by the Board to the Ministry conveniently prior to the making of payments by the Ministry; or (
- c)partly in one way and partly in the other; or (
- d)in such other manner and at such times as may be agreed upon between the Ministry and the Board. Interference with public services. XIV. WHERE the scheduled works or anything done pursuant to this Agreement, necessitate interference with, or the alteration, or reconstruction of any public road, bridge, water supply or sewerage system, or other public service, the Ministry and the Board, after consultation with their appropriate and respective Government Departments concerned with such services, shall determine what provision for such interference, alteration or reconstruction should be made in respect of such matters in the County of Fermanagh or the County of Donegal respectively, and should any extra expenditure be incurred by reason of any addition to such provision which may be made pursuant to a request or requirement of any public authority, shall as far as possible ensure that such extra expenditure is borne by the public authority at whose request or upon whose requirement the same was incurred. Surplus or deficit of Drainage Board monies. XV. Should any sum remain of the balance received by the Ministry from the Trustees appointed to wind up the affairs of the Lough and River Erne Drainage and Navigation Board (hereinafter referred to as the “Drainage Board”) after payment of compensation to former employees of the Drainage Board in accordance with the statutory provisions in that behalf the Ministry shall pay one-eighth part thereof to the Board and should the said balance have been insufficient to enable the said compensation to be paid therefrom the Board shall pay to the Ministry one-eighth part of any amount provided by the Ministry to enable the said compensation to be paid. Notices, etc. XVI. WHERE any provision of this Agreement prescribes the approval, consent or agreement, by either party to the doing, or omission, of any act or thing, by the other party, or the service of any notice by either party, such approval, consent, agreement or notice shall be such as shall be expressed under the hand of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Ministry, or the Secrètary or an Assistant Secretary of the Board, as the case may be, and any notice shall be transmitted by registered post. Arbitration. XVII. IF any dispute or difference should at any time hereafter arise between the Ministry and the Board touching this Agreement or arising out of or in relation to any of the provisions thereof, or the doing, or the neglect or refusal to do, any work, duty, matter or thing under this Agreement, or the making of, or the refusal to make, any payment hereunder, such dispute or difference shall, in accordance with provisions in that behalf contained in the Second Schedule hereto, be referred to and heard and determined by a Tribunal (hereinafter referred to as an “Arbitration Tribunal”) constituted in accordance with the provisions of the said Second Schedule, and the decision of an Arbitration Tribunal thereon shall in all respects be final and binding on the parties hereto and the amount of any sum (including any sum in respect of costs) awarded by an Arbitration Tribunal to one party together with interest thereon at the rate of four pounds per centum per annum calculated from the date of the award shall be payable to it by the other as a civil debt due to it by that other and shall be recoverable accordingly and each party hereby covenants that it will in all respects well and faithfully abide by and give effect to the terms of any award made by an Arbitration Tribunal. FIRST SCHEDULE TO THE FOREGOING AGREEMENT. Works to be Carried Out. 1. Deepening the bed, and where required, removal and re-alignment of the banks of the River Erne between Rosscor and Belleek to such effect that the improved channel shall have a capacity of not less than 660,000 cubic feet per minute with the water level of the Lower Lough at 152.0 feet above O.D., and the water level at the dam at Cliff at 143.0 feet above O.D.—the work to extend from the Lower Lough to 500 feet or thereabouts in a north-westerly direction from the centre of the road bridge over the River Erne at the Town of Belleek; disposal of material excavated from the bed and banks of the River Erne and the underpinning of Rosscor Bridge. 2. Construction of a new road bridge and approaches over the River Erne at Belleek to replace the existing bridge, and the removal of the existing bridge and such portion of the existing approaches as may be agreed between the Ministry and the Board. 3. Construction of a barrage and sluices near Enniskillen with a crest level when closed of 150.0 feet above O.D., and a sill level of 136.0 feet above O.D., and a total clear water width of 172.0 feet, capable of passing a discharge of 660,000 cubic feet per minute with the Lower Lough at 152.0 feet above O.D. and a loss of head through the sluices not exceeding four inches with all gates lifted clear of the water, or such works of a like nature capable of passing the discharge aforesaid as may be agreed between the Ministry and the Board, and all or any of the foregoing works shall include such provision as may be necessary for navigation, the passage of fish and the future control and maintenance of such works. 4. Removal of the existing barrage and sluices across the River Erne at Belleek, their operating mechanism, and any incidental works. 5. Any works necessary, incidental or ancillary to any of the foregoing works. SECOND SCHEDULE TO THE FOREGOING AGREEMENT. Provisions as to Arbitration. 1. (
- i)An Arbitration Tribunal shall consist of a single Arbitrator assisted by two Assessors. (
- ii)The Arbitrator shall be such person as the Board and the Ministry may agree to appoint from persons entitled to practise as Barristers-at-Law before a Superior Court in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland or before the High Court of Justice of the Republic of Ireland and who shall have so practised for not less than ten years prior to the date of the Notice of dispute hereinafter mentioned. In default of such agreement the Arbitrator shall be such person possessing the foregoing qualifications as may upon the application of either party be nominated by the President for the time being of the Institution of Civil Engineers. (iii) The Assessors, one of whom shall, subject to the provisions of paragraph four of this Schedule, be appointed by the Board and one by the Ministry shall be practising members of not less than ten years' standing of the Institution of Civil Engineers or the Institution of Civil Engineers of Ireland. 2. Upon any dispute or difference arising, either of the parties may serve upon the other a Notice of Dispute specifying the matter or matters as to which such dispute or difference shall have arisen, and the reasons or grounds therefor. 3. Within twenty-eight days after the service of such Notice each party shall appoint its Assessor (who shall have expressed his willingness to act as such), and shall notify the other party of such appointment, and of the name, address and qualifications of the person appointed. 4. If either party makes default in appointing an Assessor within the period aforesaid then an Assessor to act in his stead shall be appointed by the Arbitrator who shall notify each party of the appointment and of the name, address and qualifications of the person appointed. 5. Within twenty-eight days after the service of the Notice of Dispute or within such extended time as may be agreed by the other party the party serving such Notice shall prepare and submit to the other party for approval a draft submission to Arbitration which shall state clearly the matter or matters in dispute, the facts relating thereto, and the questions at issue for the decision of an Arbitration Tribunal. When the form of the submission to Arbitration has been agreed by both parties the same shall be executed by both parties in triplicate and an executed part thereof sent to the Arbitrator and to each of the Assessors by the party who served the Notice of Dispute. In default of agreement as to the form of submission, the party serving the Notice of Dispute may execute the submission in such form as it thinks fit and send three executed parts thereof to the Arbitrator and a fourth executed part thereof to the other party and within fourteen days of the other party's receiving the same or within such extended time as may be agreed the other party may prepare and execute a formal statement of its objections to such submission and send three executed parts thereof to the Arbitrator and a fourth to the other party. 6. Within twenty-eight days after the receipt by the Arbitration Tribunal of the submission to Arbitration the Arbitrator shall notify the Ministry and the Board of the venue and date where and upon which the Arbitration Tribunal shall sit for the purpose of hearing the matter or matters in dispute and such venue and date shall be fixed to suit, as far as possible, the convenience of the Arbitration Tribunal and the parties hereto. 7. The parties hereto will do all acts and things and take all steps, including, subject to any legal objection, the production of all evidence whether in the nature of books, records, accounts, documents or otherwise, relevant to the matters in dispute or the questions at issue, necessary to enable an Arbitration Tribunal to hear and determine those matters and questions and to make an award, or which may be required or called for by either party or an Arbitration Tribunal, and neither of the said parties will wilfully or wrongfully do, or cause to be done, any act or thing or neglect to do any act or thing or take any step which shall or may delay or prevent an Arbitration Tribunal from hearing and determining the said matters or questions, or from making an award. 8. In order to facilitate a hearing before an Arbitration Tribunal each party shall be at liberty to serve on the other party a Notice or Notices to admit facts and upon the admission of any such fact or facts by the other party then, subject to the direction or requirement of the Arbitration Tribunal, formal proof of those facts may be dispensed with. 9. If either party shall refuse or fail after reasonable notice to attend either personally or by Counsel or by Solicitor before an Arbitration Tribunal at any meeting which the Tribunal may appoint, the Tribunal may proceed as effectually as if such party were present. 10. Subject as hereinbefore provided an Arbitration Tribunal may make its own rules of procedure so, however, that neither party shall be prejudiced by any rule of procedure not made available to it in time to enable it to comply therewith. 11. An Arbitration Tribunal shall make and publish its award within two months after the termination of the hearing, or within such extended time as the Arbitration Tribunal shall, before the expiration of such period of two months, determine in writing signed by the Arbitrator. The award shall be in writing, and in duplicate, signed by the Arbitrator and a duplicate part thereof shall forthwith be transmitted to each party hereto. 12. An Arbitration Tribunal shall have power to award, to or against either or both parties hereto, costs and expenses incurred in connection with an Arbitration, or any part or issue thereof, including the procedure leading up to an Arbitration, to fix the amount of such costs and expenses, or to direct how the same are to be ascertained. 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