asked the Minister for Local Government if he will give speedy sanction to the proposal by Tipperary South Riding County Council for the extension of piped water supply to cater for the needs of a large number of families in the Graigue, Kilkennybeg, Killenaule area, County Tipperary.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Water Schemes.
48.
On the latest information available to me, this scheme is not regarded by the local authority as having a high priority on their water and sewerage programme.
49.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he has given sanction to Irishtown group water scheme, Claremorris, County Mayo.
50.
asked the Minister for Local Government what is the up-to-date position of the Irishtown group water scheme, County Mayo.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 50 together.
Preliminary costings for this scheme, as designated, indicate that it is not within the group's financial resources. The group are now being appraised of the situation. At this stage I cannot say if and when sanction will issue.
51.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state the up-to-date position regarding the water scheme for Ardfert village, County Kerry.
I have approved of the contract documents for this scheme.
52.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state the position at present regarding the water scheme for Castleisland, County Kerry.
Contract documents for the Casteisland water supply scheme were approved in May last.
53.
asked the Minister for Local Government the up-to-date position of the group water supply scheme for Ballyclerihan, Clonmel, County Tipperary, which is to serve ten families.
A suitable source of water for this scheme has not yet been found. Until such is available no further progress can be made.
54.
asked the Minister for Local Government the present position of the group water supply scheme for Dunguib, Rathmoley, Killenaule, County Tipperary.
The cash contributions for this scheme are being collected and the group have arranged for the preparation of a design.
55.
asked the Minister for Local Government what is the present position of the Monknewtown, Slane, group water scheme, County Meath.
The scheme referred to by the Deputy is known as the Rossin, Balfeddock, group water supply scheme. The scheme has been approved by Meath County Council and the group are seeking quotations for the carrying out of the scheme.
56.
asked the Minister for Local Government when the proposal for the improvement of Navan water supply was received by his Department; if the proposal has yet been sanctioned; and, if not, when he expects to be in a position to sanction the scheme including permission to raise the necessary loan.
Tenders for this scheme which were received in my Department on the 21st May, 1970, were sanctioned by me on the 16th June. A decision on the local authorities' application for a loan to finance the scheme will be given shortly.
Would the Minister say why the tenders have been sanctioned when permission for the loan has not been sanctioned? Is it the situation that two subsidiary schemes to this scheme have been sanctioned by the Department and permission to borrow has been sanctioned, even though it is not possible to carry out either of the schemes until the loan for this scheme is obtained? Would the Minister say if there is any particular difficulty about this? Why is it not sanctioned?
The final step is sanction for the loan, which will come soon.
When the other two schemes were sanctioned, why was it not found possible to sanction this one which is the major part of the scheme?
This loan will be sanctioned shortly, and I do not think there will be any further problems then.
It was said at a meeting of the county council that it would be sanctioned shortly. At a previous meeting the same statement was made.
With due respect to the county manager, the Deputy has addressed the question to me as Minister for Local Government and I am saying that the loan will be sanctioned shortly. The Deputy can accept this statement or not.
57.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state when it is proposed to provide group water schemes in the Adrigole/Bantry and Castletown/Enniskeane districts, County Cork.
I assume the Deputy is referring to the Trafrask/Adrigole and Castletown/Kenneigh group water supply schemes.
The Trafrask/Adrigole scheme has been abandoned and the group, on their own initiative, returned the contributions to the participants who had subscribed.
The Castletown/Kenneigh scheme could not proceed until a suitable source of supply had been located. In the absence of a suitable natural source the only alternative is to bore a well. I understand that the Cork County Council, western committee, agreed at their meeting on 14th July, 1970, to bore a well.
Is the Minister aware that the Cork County Council, west, discussed the Trafrask/Adrigole scheme repeatedly and made representations to his Department with a view to securing the attendance of the new water inspector at their meeting but these representations brought no result? Is the Minister not further aware that the water inspector has been precluded from attending meetings of the western committee? Is the Minister not also aware that so far as the Trafrask applicants are concerned, they have paid their contributions years ago and that clearly due to lack of effort on the part of the Department the scheme was abandoned and these people have been blackguarded by the Department?
I do not accept at all what the Deputy has said. Efforts to extend the scope of the scheme to serve all the households in the area were not successful. If the group scheme had been supported by the residents in that area, it might have proved feasible.
They paid their money long ago.