asked the Minister for Agriculture the total area of land drained by County Clare under the EC western drainage scheme; the number of applications and the total area where grants have been allocated and work has not yet commenced; the number of applications and area involved where approval is awaited; and if he will make a statement on the operation of the scheme in County Clare.
Written Answers. - Clare Drainage.
406.
To date 2,110 applications under the Western Drainage Scheme have been approved in County Clare, relating to an area of 10,200 hectares approximately. Work on 7,160 hectares has been completed. Without communicating with each individual applicant it would not be possible to establish the area on which drainage work had not commenced. The cost of obtaining this information would not be justified. Some 645 applications, involving about 3,300 hectares, are awaiting investigation.