65 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Finance the total cost of the drainage of the Blackwater; and the sources from which the funding was provided on this side of the Border. [10331/97]

The Blackwater drainage scheme was a cross-Border project carried out jointly by the Office of Public Works and the Department of Agriculture, Northern Ireland.

The cost of the scheme in Northern Ireland was approximately £18 million sterling and in the Republic, approximately IR£20 million. A grant of £2.7 million approximately was received by the Office of Public Works from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund, the balance of £17.3 million was met from the Exchequer.