286 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Finance if funding will be provided to Sligo County Council in 2002 for the proposed drainage works on the Owenmore River drainage. [8353/02]

Sligo County Council wrote to the Office of Public Works on 14 November 2001 seeking a capital grant of £250,000, €317,435, for 2002 for the Owenmore drainage scheme. The Office of Public Works replied on 29 November 2001 to the effect that the county council's application for funding could not be considered as all available funding for flood relief activities had already been committed to other ongoing priority flood relief schemes. This remains the position and I regret that there is no scope for the allocation of any additional funds for work on the Owenmore River in 2002.