asked the Minister for the Environment when approval will be issued to Kerry County Council to invite tenders for the long overdue sewerage scheme for Castlemaine, County Kerry.

The local authority's preliminary proposals for this scheme must be considered in the context of the amount of capital available for the overall water and sewerage programme, the number of schemes in progress or getting to construction at the present time and for which adequate finance must be provided. I cannot at present say when I will be in a position to convey approval to the preparation of contract documents for this scheme or to the subsequent seeking of tenders.