asked the Minister for Finance if he would state when it was proposed to start operations on the rivers Annalee and Dromore drainage schemes.

The Commissioners of Public Works have carried out a valuation and have made an engineering survey of the proposed Dromore drainage district. The survey reveals that there are many difficult problems in the way of an effective scheme, and further investigations will be necessary, including a close study of conditions in the downstream area before a decision can be reached on the question of formulating a scheme for the Dromore river. In the circumstances it is not possible to state how long these investigations will take, therefore no date can be given as to when drainage operations may be started. Subject to other engagements, the investigations will be carried out as expeditiously as possible by the engineers.

Have all the proposed schemes been scrapped in regard to that? Are you starting any new scheme?

In considering the final scheme we will take into account all the existing proposed schemes, but we are running up against distinct difficulties in the lower regions.

There have been difficulties for the last ten years.

I can quite understand that. Adam and Eve were in existence a long time before that.

Back to Methuselah!

It used to be back to 1921.

That would not be in order.