asked the Minister for Finance the position regarding the Corrib-Mask Headford drainage scheme.

It is hoped to exhibit the scheme for the Corrib-Headford area in the near future.

Arising from the Parliamentary Secretary's reply and also from his answer to a question which I put to him before Christmas in which he stated that the scheme would start in the new financial year, and also arising from the statement he made at a Fianna Fáil cumann dinner in Tuam to the same effect, can he say if any effort is being made in regard to the scheme?

Yes, the first step is to exhibit the scheme. The Deputy may not realise that it is necessary by law to exhibit the scheme before you start. We will be exhibiting the scheme very soon.

The Deputy was not at the dinner.

If he had been, he might be more fully informed.

It will be drained before the Shannon, I suppose.

If you failed to start it before the financial year, I doubt if it will start until it is of some further political advantage to you.

asked the Minister for Finance the position regarding the uncompleted works upstream in the Nanny River-Lavally area of the Corrib-Clare drainage scheme.

As I explained to the Deputy in reply to his question on 17th November last, these works have had to be deferred until a scheme for a new water supply for the town of Tuam has been dealt with by Galway County Council.