asked the Minister for Local Government if he will give the up-to-date position of the Group Water Scheme applications in County Meath at the latest available date.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Meath Group Water Scheme.
29.
I am having a summary statement prepared showing the current position of these schemes, which I shall send to the Deputy.
Could the Minister say from the evidence he has whether it is true that schemes are being partly held up because of lack of engineering services?
I have not got any such evidence.
Is the Minister aware there is only one engineer attempting to put all these schemes in the county into operation and that he is badly overworked?
If we take it county by county, we find that we would have 26 engineers at this work throughout the country and that would not be bad.
If each county had only the same as we have in Meath, I feel sure the Minister will agree the job is still too big for 26 engineers.
Naturally, with the development of schemes, the point would be reached where there would probably be greater demand for engineers. This must be got over, but if we were to take in specialised technical staff to deal with the bulge, after we had got over the bulge, we should be left with the problem of where we would send the staff. We are not unhappy about the position, but if there is a particular problem in Meath, we shall try to solve it by getting extra assistance for them.
I thank the Minister, but is he aware that though the scheme has been in operation for a number of years, only one job has in fact been put under way and that there is evidence of a substantial bulge?
I do not agree that deduction can be made. While it may be true that only one scheme has been completed and that there are a number of schemes pending, it is not true that all these schemes are at the same stage of waiting because of lack of engineers. There are other reasons for the holdup. Any information I can get I shall send to the Deputy.