Vol. 399 No. 5
9 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the inadequate water supply in the Gweedore area of County Donegal and the urgency of replacing the water mains from Dare to Bunbeg to Derrybeg; if the revised contract documents have been received in his Department; and when the scheme will be approved.
I have approved the contract documents for the Rosses Regional Water Supply Scheme — Dore/Bunbeg/Derrybeg. The county council have been advised to seek tenders as a matter of urgency with a view to work commencing on the scheme at the earliest possible date.
I wish to compliment the Minister on his prompt reaction to my question submitted last week. I am sure he is aware this scheme will service one of the most densely populated rural areas in this country if not in Europe. When does the Minister expect work to start and does he expect the scheme to be completed for next summer, that is the summer of 1991? Could he further indicate if there are financial provisions in the current year's budget towards the work?
The Deputy will be aware that I am always conscious of his requirements and those of the people in his constituency. The matter is now cleared for the council to seek tenders for the work and perhaps the Deputy would address any further anxieties he has to the county council of which he is a member.
Is finance available?
I said work could commence at the earliest possible date following the submission of tenders.
Could the Minister give an estimate of how much it would cost?
I do not have that information available now and, in advance of the public tendering process being completed, it would be wrong for me to estimate what it would cost.
