asked the Minister for Local Government when it is proposed to remove the terminal sewerage system from the harbour in Bray, County Wicklow.

No firm proposals have been submitted to my Department. I understand that new consultants have been appointed by the local authority but that a decision on the location of a new sea outfall has not yet been reached.

I understood that there might have been an alternative, that a link up could have been arranged with the Shanganagh sewerage works, instead of pumping out to sea and causing pollution. Has the Minister any information on that?

It has been decided that the cost of pumping through the proposed new county council output at Shanganagh would be prohibitive.

Is the Minister aware that with the coming of another summer season the harbour is very unsightly? This has been going on for years and the only progress that seems to have been made was a change of consultants.

This is a matter for the local authority. As the Deputy is aware, until the local authority make up their minds what exactly they want to do there is nothing I or the Department can do about it.

I asked on an earlier occasion if the Minister would take a direct interest in this matter in the hope of some progress being made.

I did so and all the local authority did was to change the consultants. There is no way I can direct a local authority to do what they are not, apparently, in a hurry to do. Deputy Murphy might be more usefully employed trying to get the local authority to move a little faster.

I shall certainly continue my efforts——

The Deputy has not been very successful so far.

I may have been unsuccessful, but the Minister has admitted that he has had no success in the matter.

It is not my function.

As Minister for Local Government he is responsible for all local government affairs throughout the country.

I am afraid Deputy Murphy is not aware of what the Minister's functions are. Therefore he is making a rather foolish statement. I do not have the responsibility of making the arrangements at local level for sewerage schemes. That is a matter for the local authority. Since they have not done so, I cannot interfere at any level.

The Minister fixed rents.

We did a good job.

Rents are lower now than they were when the Fianna Fáil Government were in office in 1972-73.

Would the Minister not agree that the terminal of the sewerage system has been there since he took office and that nothing has been done?

I am sorry I cannot get through to Deputy Murphy. I cannot do anything about it unless the local authority make a proposal and they have not done that.

Will the Minister approach the local authority again?

Question No. 14.

14.

asked the Minister for Local Government if he will approve the contract documents submitted by Tullamore Urban Council, County Offaly, for his approval for the extension of the town sewerage scheme.

I have approved contract documents for section 7 of the Tullamore sewerage scheme which is, I assume, the scheme the Deputy is referring to.