asked the Minister for Local Government if he will make a statement on the present position of the water supply at Lismore, County Waterford; and when the supply will be improved.

It is envisaged that the Lismore water supply will be augmented from a scheme based on a source in the Modeligo area.

My Department requested the county council some time ago to furnish a comprehensive report on the proposal in order to enable it to be fully assessed. This report is awaited.

In view of the serious position with regard to the water supply in the Lismore area, can the Parliamentary Secretary say when this report is likely to be received?

We are awaiting the report from the county council. Perhaps the Deputy would take up the matter with them.

Would the Parliamentary Secretary ask the county council to expedite the matter?

The Deputy is in a stronger position than I am in that regard.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that because of the dismissal of an engineer in this part of the county the scheme will not be completed?

That is a separate matter.

Surely it has a bearing on the matter?

I am calling Question No. 6.

On a point of order, is Deputy Kenneally not entitled to an answer?

The Deputy is bringing in new matter. The Chair has called Question No. 6.

The point raised by Deputy Kenneally is relevant to the question.

The Chair has ruled it is extraneous. I have called Question No. 6.

6.

asked the Minister for Local Government the date on which the water supply scheme in respect of Monamon, Lismore, County Waterford, will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I approved the local authority's proposals for this scheme on the 2nd May.

It is now a matter for the local authority to arrange for commencement of the work.

I come back to the same point again. Because the Waterford County Council have not an engineer working in the area in question, the report will not come from the county council for a long time. Could the Department of Local Government make some effort to rectify this situation?

That is a separate question.

I am calling Question No. 7.

It is directly related to the question.

The Parliamentary Secretary has stated that the Department approved the local authority's proposal on 2nd May and that further proposals are awaited from the county council. Waterford County Council cannot send any more proposals.

The Deputy will appreciate that as it is only the 9th May it is probable the work would not have commenced yet.

Surely this matter should receive more attention from the Minister and the Parliamentary Secretary? Because of the unusual situation in this area of west Waterford, has the Minister for Local Government not some responsibility to the people in the area?

The Department of Local Government sanctioned the scheme on 2nd May. It is unreasonable to suggest that the scheme should have started on 9th May.

7.

asked the Minister for Local Government when it is expected that work will commence on the proposed extensions to Ahascragh water supply scheme, County Galway.

As the planning of this scheme by the local authority has not been finalised, I cannot say as yet when work is likely to commence.

I know that there is one extension about to start and two are advanced, but will the Parliamentary Secretary impress upon the Minister that there should be no undue delays as far as the other extensions are concerned when the Galway County Council send in their reports?

Approval for the preliminary proposals issued on the 6th May, 1974.

Has the approval of a loan for the tower in Ahascragh been approved yet?

That is a separate question.

It is relevant to the extension.

Question No. 8.

I did not get an answer.

I have not the information before me at the moment.

8.

asked the Minister for Local Government the present position regarding the Farm-Marnellsgrove group water scheme, Ballymoe, County Galway.

This group proposed to serve 19 houses by way of an extension from the existing public supply at Ballymoe. However, Galway County Council have intimated that, due to the present consumption of water in the Ballymoe region, it would not be possible to make a supply of water available to the group. My Department's local inspector has been asked to check with the group whether there is any suitable alternative source in the area which could serve the group.