asked the Minister for the Enviornment if he is satisfied that the moneys allocated to local authority projects are being spent efficiently; and if his Department have carried out any study of the cost-efficiency of such projects.

The aim of achieving cost efficiency is one of the reasons for the various controls and procedures operated by my Department in relation to expenditure by local authorities on the implementation of the major works programme for which funds are allocated to them. I am satisfied that these controls allied to the procedures operated by local authorities themselves are a reasonable approach towards ensuring cost efficiency, when account is taken of the statutory responsibilities of the local authorities and of their own accountability for their expenditure. While formal studies of cost efficiency have not been carried out on individual local projects by the Department, cost trends are constantly appraised in order to ensure that the controls and procedures continue to fulfil their purpose.