asked the Minister for Local Government when he will sanction the contract submitted by Kildare County Council for the following water main extensions in County Kildare: Bishops Lane and Longhouse, Ballymore Eustace; Newtown and Mullintine/Tullylost, Rathangan; Coill Dubh, Timahoe; Skirteen, Monasterevan; Scrawtown, Prosperous; and Mullacash, Brannockstown.

I have recently approved a tender in relation to six of these extension schemes. There are no final proposals before my Department for the two remaining schemes, namely Skirteen, Monasterevan and Scrawtown, Prosperous.

75.

asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware of widespread complaints respecting water pressure in the Dublin area; and whether any consideration has been given to the overhaul of the water piping system in Dublin.

In some areas in Dublin pressures are less than optimum due to the need to conserve supplies to meet the greatly increased demand in recent years from new housing and industrial development. New major supply schemes in construction or in planning are designed to resolve any existing problems and provide an adequate supply for the Dublin area well into the future.

I am sure the Minister is aware that in certain areas of Dublin, and particularly south County Dublin, there is a complete failure of the water supply on occasions? This was so last week. Could he give any assurance to the House that the water supply in the south county region will be progressively improved over the next few months?

I am aware that the pressures are less than optimum and schemes are being planned which will ensure an adequate supply in future. I cannot give any specific promise by way of date as to when the pressures in the areas mentioned will be brought up to requirements.

It is not simply a question of pressure. In some cases it is a question of complete lack of supply.

76.

asked the Minister for Local Government the water and sewerage schemes submitted by Kildare County Council, setting them out in order of priority, the date submitted and the schemes sanctioned to date.

The information is being complied and will be forwarded to the Deputy.

I gave the usual notice for this question and the Department have on one file the information I ask for. Surely it should be possible to supply it to the Minister so that he could give it me today? No compilation is required.

I have not the information and I have already said it is being compiled for the Deputy and it will be sent to him.

I am not being awkward, but somebody is trying to make a fool of the Minister or make a fool of me——

I do not think so.

——because, in fact, his predecessor asked for a list of priorities from all county councils and received it about four years ago. That list has not been revised since then and all the Minister has to do is revive it.

The information is not as readily available as the Deputy may imagine. My Department have been under some pressure this week with a number of officials tied up here with Bills in the Dáil and Seanad and with Estimates. I am not making an excuse——

I thought there were more than ten in this Department.

There are but if Deputy Tully wishes to become smart——

I am not quarrelling with the Minister but this is a weak excuse which is just not true. The information has not to be compiled. They are just too darned lazy to get it out.

There is no truth whatever in that and I am surprised at Deputy Tully making that type of allegation against members of the staff of my Department who have a great record.

Why did they not get it out?

The information will be compiled and the Deputy will get it before long.

It does not have to be compiled.

It has.

77.

asked the Minister for Local Government the reasons for the delay in sanctioning Ballyhasty/ Modreeney group water scheme, County Tipperary.

In June, 1969, consideration of a group water supply scheme for Ballyhasty was deferred at the request of the local authority. In January, 1970, the authority submitted a proposal for a public scheme to serve Modreeney, Ballysteena and Ballyhasty areas.

In July, 1970, it was decided that the possibility of a group scheme should be re-examined because of the high cost of the public scheme and its low rating on the authority's priority list. My Department's local inspector paid many visits to the area and eventually succeeded in reviving some local interest in a group scheme in June, 1971. A canvass of the area, carried out in November, 1971, indicated that the only interest came from the Ballyhasty area. In the course of subsequent discussions with the authority's technical staff, they maintained their objection to the group scheme, mainly because of difficulties associated with allowing the group to place a pump in the council's pump-house. In a letter of 29th June, 1972, the authority sought approval to the public scheme as originally proposed by them. This request is at present being examined in my Department.

78.

asked the Minister for Local Government if he will sanction contract documents submitted on the 4th February, 1972, in connection with the improvements to Portlaoise sewerage scheme, County Laoise; and if he will have this work carried out as a matter of urgency.

Contract documents for this scheme are under examination in my Department.

79.

asked the Minister for Local Government if the contract documents for improvements to Mountmellick sewerage scheme, County Offaly, were received in his Department on 13th December, 1970, and if a similar request in connection with The Swan water supply improvement scheme was received on 13th December, 1971; and if he will now give his approval to these schemes as a matter of urgency.

Contract documents for these schemes, which were submitted to my Department on the 29th December, 1970, and the 14th December, 1971, respectively, are under consideration. I cannot indicate at this stage when decisions will issue to the local authority.

80.

asked the Minister for Local Government if he received requests to sanction the preliminary report in respect of the Portarlington sewerage scheme improvements on 29th December, 1971, and the Borris-in-Ossory sewerage scheme on 27th September, 1971; if a similar request was received on 20th October, 1970, from Laois County Council in connection with the water supply for the south-east region; and if he will approve these schemes as a matter of urgency.

I have approved the preliminary proposals for the Borris-in-Ossory sewerage scheme.

The preliminary proposals for the Portarlington sewerage improvement scheme which were submitted on the 30th December, 1971, are under examination in my Department.

I have asked the local authority to re-examine, on economic grounds, their proposals regarding the water supply scheme for the south-east region and to investigate the use of alternative sources for some of the areas included in the scheme.

81.

asked the Minister for Local Government the present position in regard to the Ballyroan sewerage scheme, County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Contract documents for this scheme are under examination in my Department.

82.

asked the Minister for Local Government the reasons for his refusal to sanction the proposals of Laois County Council for carrying out the sewerage scheme at Errill, County Laois at an estimated cost of £12,280; and if he will reconsider his decision in view of the urgency of this matter.

The local authority have been asked to consider a suggested change in the system of sewage disposal in this scheme.

83.

asked the Minister for Local Government if he will expedite sanction of proposals by Tipperary North Riding County Council for the extension of Borrisokane sewerage scheme to serve houses at South Terrance, Borrisokane.

Revised proposals for this extension were submitted to my Department on the 19th June, 1972, and are under examination.