A brief, a preliminary report and a supplementary report for the scheme have been received in my Department but have not been approved. As the scheme is not included in the 1999 investment programme, it comes within the terms of my Department's circular letter L9/98 of 22 October 1998. The circular asked each local authority to undertake a fresh assessment of the needs for capital works in its area and to prepare a prioritised list of projects based on the assessment. The priority list will be taken into consideration by my Department in framing future water and sewerage services investment programmes under the next National Development Plan 2000-2006. In the meanwhile the scheme will be considered, along with all other competing proposals, under the rural towns and villages initiative, details of which will be announced shortly.