The Kilmaine and Shrule water supply scheme, which will be served by an extension of the Tuam regional water supply scheme, is included in my Department's water services investment programme 2004 — 2006 to start construction in 2005. I approved the preparation of contract documents for the scheme by Mayo County Council in January last and my Department awaits submission of these documents. I also approved the council's proposals to replace certain defective watermains in Kilmaine under the water conservation scheme in October 2003.
Proposed water supply schemes to serve Cross and Neale are listed as post-2007 requirements in the list of water services schemes submitted by Mayo County Council in response to my Department's request to local authorities in 2003 to produce updated assessments of the needs for capital works in their areas and to prioritise their proposals on the basis of the assessments. The assessments were taken into account in the framing of the water services investment programme 2004 — 2006 published last month. Given the rating afforded to these schemes by the council, it has not been possible to include them in the programme.