asked the Minister for Local Government the up-to-date position regarding the proposed housing scheme at Johnstownbridge, County Kildare.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Kildare Housing Scheme.
120.
I would refer the Deputy to my replies to Questions Nos. 124 of the 18th May, 1972 and 41 of the 24th February, 1972, about the Johnstownbridge sewerage and housing schemes. The local authority's further proposals for these schemes are awaited.
Can I take it, then, that no further effort has been made by his Department or by Kildare County Council who are the responsible body to have the problem solved since the last occasion on which the Minister told me that he thought the matter had been solved?
I said on the last occasion that every effort was being made to formulate new proposals to resolve the difficulties. This has happened and Kildare County Council are carrying out tests in an effort to find a suitable source for the water supply that is necessary for the sewerage scheme which will enable the housing scheme to go ahead. There have been a number of difficulties encountered so far and these have not been resolved yet but the best efforts of the county council continue to be made.
Would the Minister be surprised to hear that there is a water supply available but that it is the sewerage scheme that is causing the trouble? The person who had given land on which a septic tank was to have been installed, withdrew his permission after the scheme had been given to a contractor. Is the Minister not aware that Kildare County Council say there are no proposals before them and that it will be approximately six years before they are able to proceed with the scheme? In view of that, is the Minister not being somewhat optimistic in his reply?
I am assured that steps are being taken to try to solve the difficulties. However, in 99.9 per cent of cases on which the Deputy challenges me, I discover that I happen to be right and he happens to be wrong.
The odds are the other way round.