asked the Minister for the Environment if he will allocate funds to provide a sewage treatment plant for Bantry sewerage scheme, in view of the mariculture development in Bantry Bay; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

There are no proposals from Cork County Council before my Department for the provision of a treatment plant in the Bantry sewerage scheme. The question of allocating funds for the provision of such plant does not therefore arise at this stage.

Is the Minister prepared to allow local authorities to design sewage treatment plants——

This is about Bantry. The Deputy cannot bring in Buncrana and everywhere else.

Will the Minister allow local authorities to go ahead with a sewage treatment plant which is designed without a facility to treat the effluent going into Bantry Bay?

I am sorry. I was not able to hear the general thrust of the question.

Is the Minister prepared to allow Cork County Council to design a sewerage scheme for Bantry which allows raw effluent into Bantry Bay, particularly when there is a thriving mussel industry in the bay? Taking all the circumstances into account I would suggest that the Minister direct Cork County Council to provide a treatment plant in Bantry Bay.

We have this problem in Galway and it has not been solved there.

I tried to solve the problem in Galway. It is a matter for the local authority involved to assess the need for a sewerage scheme in Bantry and if the authority put forward proposals, including the provision of a treatment plant, they will be considered as favourably as possible by my Department.

As the Minister responsible for the Environment, has he any regard at all for the environment? Surely he should encourage local authorities to provide treatment plants. In this day and age to allow raw sewage into a place like Bantry Bay is cruel.