asked the Minister for Finance what is the position with regard to the proposed scheme for the drainage of the Rivers Cashen and Brick, Kerry, and whether any grant-in-aid of the scheme was offered by the Government to the Kerry County Council.

On the 14th April last the Commissioners of Public Works wrote to the Kerry County Council in connection with the Brick (Cashen) proposed drainage district, inquiring whether the County Council would contribute approximately 33 per cent. of the total actual cost on the assumption that the Minister for Finance would agree to make a free grant of 50 per cent. of the cost. The County Council in reply requested the Commissioners to investigate the possibility of formulating a cheaper scheme, and one of the Commissioners' Engineers is at present engaged on making a survey of the district for that purpose.

Could the Minister tell us how soon this will be completed?

I could not.

Did the Government put a proposal before the County Council and did the County Council turn it down?

The County Council did not definitely turn it down, but they did what amounted to that in suggesting that a cheaper scheme should be prepared.