asked the Minister for the Environment if he is in a position to convey to Roscommon County Council a decision on the Knockcroghery sewerage scheme; if not, when such a decision may be expected; whether a capital allocation has been made in respect of this scheme; if so, the amount; and the number of dwellings likely to be serviced by the scheme.

Roscommon County Council's proposals for the Knockcroghery sewerage scheme must be considered in the context of the amount of capital available for water and sewerage schemes, the number of schemes in progress or about to commence including stage 2 of the South Roscommon water supply scheme and the Monksland sewerage scheme for which loans have been recently sanctioned.

I am not in a position to say when a decision can be conveyed to the local authority on the revised contract documents for the scheme which has been designed to serve approximately 75 houses. The question of a capital allocation will not arise until the scheme has been fully approved and a loan sanctioned.

Is the Minister aware that this scheme has been in the Department for some years now and that it is high time that it was sanctioned?

There will be no avoidable delay so far as I am concerned.

There is a delay. Why is there such a delay with regard to this very important scheme?

It is a question of the finance available and the priorities. As I said, Roscommon County Council are doing quite well. Despite that everything possible will be done to expedite the commencement of the scheme.