Thank you, Sir, for allowing me to raise this matter on the Adjournment. There are ten members involved in the St. Brendan's group water scheme in Ballygar, County Galway. It is a small scheme involving five householders and five landowners. Will a supplementary grant be paid towards the scheme or, alternatively, will the Minister announce an increase in the grants available for group water schemes because there is a shortfall of £15,000 for the Ballygar scheme? I understand that £3 million has been allocated in the Department of the Environment for group water schemes in 1994, but schemes will not proceed if supplementary grants are not paid or if grants are not increased. Those grants constitute £700 for each householder and £500 for each landowner and are inadequate to deal with the increased cost of group water schemes.
The allocation of £3 million for 1994 is a small figure compared to that in 1982 when £8 million was allocated for such schemes mainly from FEOGA funds. I urge the Minister to secure European funds for such schemes now. More than 100 are awaiting approval in County Galway, St. Brendan's is only one of them. In other words, 2,500 houses in Galway do not have an adequate water supply. This is an issue of major concern in Galway, particularly in my constituency. Will the Minister indicate if approval can be given for the Ballygar scheme? It is one of the smallest schemes and cannot proceed unless the shortfall is bridged by either a supplementary grant or an increase in the grants for houses and landowners. I hope the Minister has positive news for me.