asked the Minister for the Environment when it is expected to commence work on the water scheme at Brinaleck, County Donegal.
Written Answers. - County Donegal Water Scheme.
301.
The acceptance of the relevant tenders and a Local Loans Fund loan of £412,000 have been sanctioned for the extension of the Rosses Regional Water Supply Scheme to Brinaleck.
The council decided to defer the commencement of the scheme pending the outcome of an application made to me for an order for the abstraction of water from the Gweedore River for the Rosses region. I made a provisional order for the abstraction on 21 September, 1983.
The period within which petition could be lodged to the Circuit Court requesting that the provisional order shall not become law without further inquiry expired on 8 November 1983. No such petitions were lodged and Donegal County Council have applied to me for a confirmation order in the matter. I will be making the confirmation order as soon as possible.
The county council will not proceed with the Brinaleck scheme until they have a supply from the Gweedore River. Contract documents for a scheme to abstract the water (estimated to cost £100,000) are in my Department. I will give consideration to approving this when all the remaining formalities in relation to the water abstraction order are complete and the council submit a certificate of completion of planning.