asked the Minister for the Environment if he has received proposals from Kerry County Council regarding a water supply for the new county hospital; and, if so, the reason for the delay in sanction to date.

42.

asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware that the new general hospital being erected at Tralee, County Kerry, is scheduled to open at the end of 1981, provided that there is an adequate water supply available; if so, the date his Department received contract documents from Kerry County Council for a proposed water scheme to enable them to have a direct line laid to the new hospital in time for the opening; and when approval will be conveyed to the local authority to enable them to invite tenders for the scheme.

I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 41 and 42 together.

Earlier this year, I sanctioned interim improvements to the existing water supply in Tralee at an estimated cost of £35,000 under the small schemes programme for 1980. This should ensure that the volume of water required to serve the new county hospital at Tralee can be made available from the existing town water supply, pending its augmentation by the central regional water scheme.

However, in order to provide improvements in pressure and fire flows, the council propose to lay the trunk mains involved for contract 6A of the central regional scheme. The relevant contract documents were submitted to my Department in February 1980. These documents must be considered in the framework of the number of fully approved schemes in progress or getting to construction and the current restraints on capital expenditure. I am not as yet in a position to indicate when a decision will be conveyed to the local authority thereon.

Is the Minister aware of the grave concern expressed by Kerry County Council, especially their officials, that there will not be an adequate water supply for the new county hospital? Will the Minister take steps to remedy this situation?

I am informed that there will be an adequate water supply on account of the steps already taken. That is the information available to me. There will be an adequate water supply until this particular section of the main scheme is completed. Therefore, they will be able to provide an adequate water supply.

Who informed the Minister that there would be an adequate water supply?

The fairies.

The council would have informed my Department.

We have a new county hospital three-quarters complete. The danger now is that it cannot be opened unless we have an adequate water supply. The Minister has informed the House that he was informed that there is an adequate water supply. But the Kerry County Manager has told Kerry County Council that there is no water for the county hospital. Therefore I should like to know from the Minister who informed him that there is plenty of water there?

The works I have referred to would ensure that it will be possible to supply water to the new county hospital from the existing Tralee water supply system until water is brought from a new source, the Owgarriff River, to Tralee.

The Minister has misinformed the House.

Am I right in assuming from the Minister's reply—I do not know the area in question; Deputy Begley knows it better—that at this stage there is a possibility of water coming from the river to which he referred but that it has not been confirmed? Yet the hospital is three-quarters built.

As I have said, the hospital will not suffer. The portion of the scheme that would deal with the hospital areas was part of a larger scheme. That will be proceeding also, but in the meantime the steps being taken at present will ensure that the hospital will have an adequate water supply.

Can the Minister tell the House then why did Kerry County Council submit a special scheme to cover the new county hospital to his Department if they were so sure that there would be an adequate water supply?

This larger scheme does not cover the hospital area only.

It is especially for the county hospital.

It does not only cover that. That is to augment the Tralee water scheme including the hospital.

In the course of his reply the Minister stated that a special scheme was set up some time in January or February 1980. He has now said he has not adequate funds to go ahead with that scheme. Would the Minister please release that scheme and not have people over-anxious in that area?

I did not say that. I said it had to be considered in the light of the other urgent applications there as well.

It would seem the Minister does not care.

There is sufficient water for the hospital. That is the important point.