Mr. John McCarthy:

I cannot answer the Chairman's question regarding the supervision arrangements in place for individual contracts. Road contracts are managed by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and I am not familiar with the arrangements. From the environmental point of view and in respect of the suggestion of illegal dumping, I was aware that the Chairman had raised this issue. Without getting involved in the specifics of the case - the Minister is precluded from involving himself in such specifics, either planning or environmental - my understanding is that the EPA has requested Meath County Council to do some investigations and prepare a report. From an environmental enforcement point of view, that is-----