Following a recent visit to west Cavan to examine the fodder situation, has the Minister decided to extend the scheme from Dowra to the Shannon Pot as he was originally requested to do?

No, I have not decided to extend it. I visited that locality as a result of points raised by the Deputy some months ago. I found that the flooding was not static, as in the Shannon Basin. The problem was flash flooding which disappeared in a matter of days or hours. I undertook to look at the basic problem which created the flooding, that is the clearing of the banks of the river and the river bed itself.

There is no aid for farmers.

I have been in communication with certain agencies to see if a scheme can be devised to eliminate the possibility of flooding. I am not extending the aid scheme from the Shannon Basin into that area.

That is the Shannon Basin.

Yes, the overall Shannon Basin. Let us appreciate the point that we went and saw the problems at first hand.