The site investigation and construction phases of the Smearla dam, an element of the north-east Kerry regional water supply scheme, stage one, phase two, were included in 15th and 21st places, respectively, in the list of 22 water and sewerage schemes submitted by Kerry County Council in response to my Department's request to all local authorities in 2003 to undertake fresh assessments of the needs for capital works in their areas and to prioritise their proposals on the basis of the assessments.
The priority lists were taken into account in the framing of the water services investment programme for 2004 to 2006, published in May 2004. Given the rating afforded to the Smearla proposal by the county council, it has not been possible to include it in the programme.