asked the Minister for the Environment when it is proposed to proceed with the Conna-Castlelyons, Rathcormac regional water scheme, County Cork, sanction for which was approved some 18 months ago.

: The local authority's proposals for this scheme must be considered in the context of the amount of capital available for public water and sewerage schemes and the comparatively large number of such schemes in progress or about to commence. I cannot say at this stage when approval will issue to this scheme, contract documents for which are under consideration in my Department.

: When was this scheme submitted to the Department?

: In March 1977 contract documents for the first stage of this scheme were submitted to the Department. The contract documents for the scheme had not been approved and the phrase used in the question "sanction for which was approved some 18 months ago" must relate to the preliminary proposals.

(Cavan-Monaghan): Would the Minister agree that group and regional water schemes are of the utmost importance and should be given priority in the allocation of public money?

: This question deals with a specific scheme. It does not permit a general question.

(Cavan-Monaghan): Having regard to the importance of running water domestically and also from the point of view of agriculture would the Minister not agree that priority should be given to this scheme, that it should be treated as a matter requiring urgent attention?

: All such schemes are regarded as urgent as the amount of moneys made available for this work this year indicates.

: We may take it that they are all under urgent review?

: Many more of these schemes are being dealt with now than were dealt with in the previous two years. It is my intention, so far as is possible, to provide increasingly more money for such schemes.

: Question No. 15, please.

(Cavan-Monaghan): If the Minister is serious will he tell us when he proposes to sanction the scheme?

: I am not prepared to say at this stage, but it will be noted that the scheme is not at the top of the county council's priority list.

(Cavan-Monaghan): It has been on the list for 15 months.

: Surely 15 months' delay cannot be regarded as urgent treatment.

: There are many other schemes awaiting sanction also.

: We must move on to the next question.

: Will the scheme be approved within the next 15 months?