asked the Minister for Finance if he will now examine the question of having the drainage of the river Lee, Tralee, undertaken in the near future; and if the drainage of the Lee can be carried on in conjuction with the river Maine drainage scheme which is in operation in Kerry at present.

The Lee catchment area has been investigated for the purposes of a scheme under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945, but further study, including examination of the results of a flood relief scheme being undertaken by the Tralee Urban District Council, is necessary before the matter can be brought to a conclusion. It is not possible at this stage to indicate when a scheme, if found feasible, may be formulated.