asked the Minister of Health how many county councils have submitted schemes under the Rural Water Supplies Act, 1944, and what is the total number of these schemes; how many of these schemes have been approved by his Department; how many county councils have not submitted any schemes; and what steps he proposes with a view to appropriate action being taken by such county counciis.
The local sanitary authorities and not the county councils are the authorities responsible for preparing and submitting schemes under the Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage Act, 1944, although they are required to consult the county councils before submitting schemes. Applications under the Act have been received in respect of 202 schemes for water supply and 247 schemes of sewerage and sewage disposal. Of these 146 and 172 respectively are in outline only, and will require further consideration by the local authorities concerned. Of the remaining 131 schemes, 25 water supply and 32 sewerage and sewage disposal schemes have been approved in principle by my Department.