asked the Minister for Finance what advance has been made in the preparation of an arterial drainage scheme for the rivers Brick and Cashen.

The position in relation to a scheme for the drainage of the Brick-Cashen area is unchanged since the reply given on the 20th November, 1941, to a question by the Deputy on the same subject.

Am I correct in saying that no advance has been made?

The Deputy is quite correct in that matter.

The Parliamentary Secretary is probably unaware that that seems to conflict with information I got that steps were being taken in certain directions anyway. Perhaps the Parliamentary Secretary might tell me why there is work being done, for instance, on the Fergus, and not on a scheme which is particularly recommended by the Drainage Commission as being urgent? Is it due to the mere fact that the Taoiseach, by chance, happens to represent Clare, that there is work done in the one case and not in the other?

I am quite sure that is not the reason.

I hope you will be able to persuade the people in Kerry of that.

We will try.