asked the Minister for Finance if he will instruct the Special Employment Schemes Office to expedite the inspection of, and the issue of decisions on, proposed rural improvement schemes.

It is expected that the inspection of new proposals will proceed more quickly during the coming months following the completion of the winter works programmes which up to now have necessarily absorbed a large proportion of the time of the inspectors. Also it is expected that vacancies in the inspectorate staff will be filled in the near future. Every effort is being made to expedite the issue of offers of grants for eligible schemes, up to the limit of the available funds.