asked the Minister for Local Government the present position in regard to Sally's Cross group water scheme, Kanturk, County Cork.

Cash contributions are currently being collected and Cork County Council have been asked to make available a supply of water for the scheme from one of their pumps in the area.

The Minister is not giving him the proper instructions for the questions to ask and the manner in which to ask them.

Communications seem to have broken down.

25.

asked the Minister for Local Government if he is now prepared to sanction the Newmarket-Kanturk water supply scheme, County Cork.

This scheme is under consideration in my Department in the light of additional technical information recently submitted by the local authority. I am not yet in a position to say when a decision on it will issue.

It is a good excuse when you have not got the money.

Is the Minister aware that for some years there has only been a 12-hour supply to this town which has a population of 2,000? Is he further aware that this has been No. 1 on the priority list for some years and that this lack of a proper water supply may deprive the town of a much wanted industry? The Minister should be aware of all that.

I am aware that this is an urgent scheme and in view of the fact that this additional technical information has now been submitted it will be dealt with as speedily as possible.

The power of an election is great.

The Minister would promise anything now.

Wait until you hear the next one.

26.

asked the Minister for Local Government why there is such a long delay in sanctioning the extension of the Gortmore-Banteer water supply scheme, County Cork.

On the latest information available to me this scheme is not regarded by the local authority as having a high priority in their water and sewerage programme.

He is in the wrong camp, obviously.

It is the same Deputy.

Is the Minister aware that this is a rather unusual request because we do not want any money? The money is available from a saving on another scheme. It is five months since sanction was sought from the Minister and the Minister has not given sanction.

This scheme is not included in the local authority priority list.

It was submitted five months ago on the recommendation of the county engineer.

It is not included in their priority list.

It may not be but there was a saving of nearly £7,000 on another scheme and the county engineer suggested that this was an appropriate scheme on which to spend it.

But the local authority did not.

We cannot have further discussion on this.

Is the Minister telling me that the local authority did not make any application for this scheme?

I am telling the Deputy that the local authority have not included the scheme in their priority list.

They made a special request for sanction.

It is a matter for the council to arrange schemes for priority.

Who makes out this priority list?

The Minister.

The local authority.

The Deputy seems to find it difficult to understand what "local authority" means. It is the county council in this case.

(Cavan): May I just ask one supplementary question?

May I deal with Deputy Belton's supplementary?

(Cavan): May I——

I claim the right to deal with Deputy Belton's supplementary question. I do not want to be discourteous to Deputy Belton.

Surely, a Cheann Comhairle, as the custodian of law and order you are not going to allow the Minister for Local Government to assume the rights of the Chair in this House as well as those of the Minister for Local Government?

There does not seem to be any order.

I was speaking when I was interrupted by Deputy Fitzpatrick.

(Cavan): I did not interrupt anybody. I requested permission to ask a supplementary question and now I repeat that request. May I ask the Minister for Local Government if he does not consider the fact that the local authority submitted this proposal to his Department is evidence that they regard it as urgent and as requiring priority?

I do not know which of these supplementary questions gets priority, Deputy Belton's——

It would be impossible for the Minister to keep the two things in his head.

The local authority have indicated that they do not regard this scheme as having a high priority.

(Cavan): The county council——

Question No. 27.

I told the local authority, in order that we could decide which schemes to allow, to arrange schemes in order of priority and they have not included this scheme. This shows that the local authority do not regard this scheme as having a high priority.

(Cavan): Why did they submit it?

They submitted 33 schemes and this is not one of them.