asked the Minister for Finance whether his attention has been called to the danger of the flooding of agricultural land at Ballyhague, Inistiogue Lower, County Kilkenny, and if he will take immediate steps to have the necessary repair work carried out to strengthen the river banks.

I am aware that occasional flooding occurs in the vicinity of Inistiogue but it is unlikely that a scheme for the Nore Catchment, in which it is situate, will be undertaken at an early stage of the drainage programme.