asked the Minister for Local Government (a) what is the present position regarding group water scheme applications in County Meath; (b) the number of engineers employed by the Department in such schemes; (c) the total number of applications; (d) the total number of schemes completed; and (e) the average time between the initial application and the completion of a scheme.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Meath Group Water Supply Schemes.
67.
As regards (a) I would refer the Deputy to the letter issued to him on 17th January, 1964. The following are the particulars in relation to the rest of the question: (b) Two, part-time; (c) 17; (d) and (e) so far no scheme has been completed.
Would the Minister not agree that this rate of progress is not in accordance with what was expected from the scheme when it was first started? Would he try to do something to increase the number of engineers dealing with it because two part-time engineers dealing with the whole county are obviously unable to cope with the volume of work? I am not blaming the Minister.
I am not aware that that is the position. If I am made aware that there is a hold-up as a result of there not being sufficient engineers in the county. I shall take immediate action to remedy the situation, but that is not my information at the moment.
Is the Minister not aware that people who have applied for particulars of such a scheme have been waiting several months before there is a visit from an engineer, and waiting for as long as six or seven months before the engineer returns to discuss the matter with them a second time? Many of them have found it impossible to get a scheme prepared or submitted to them. In view of that, does the Minister not agree something must be done to improve the position?
If such is the position, I agree something needs to be done, but I do not agree that is the position. If the Deputy has specific cases which bear out his contention, I assure him something will be done.
Has the Minister read the letter to which he referred a moment ago because it contains most of the particulars and it proves that it takes years to have a scheme brought to fruition?
I do not agree that what the Deputy infers as to the time it takes to bring a scheme from first thought to full fruition is the cause.
That is the reason I have got from the Minister's Department.