asked the Minister for Local Government the up-to-date position regarding the Slievewaddra group water scheme, Ballyduff, County Kerry.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Water and Sewerage Schemes.
28.
A suitable source for supplying water to this group has not been found. Until such a source is found no progress can be made with the scheme.
29.
asked the Minister for Local Government the present position in regard to the Clonleigh-Kilmagoura-Bunmona group water scheme, Charleville, County Cork.
The design of this scheme to serve 44 houses has been approved, subject to the use of increased pipe sizes to enable the scheme to be integrated into the Allow regional scheme. The additional cost involved in complying with that requirement is being examined in my Department before an approach is made to Cork County Council to make a special contribution to the group.
30.
asked the Minister for Local Government the present position in regard to the proposed Prohus-Caherkereen, Kilnamartyra group water scheme, County Cork.
My Department has written to Cork County Council recently about the possibility of the group being permitted to take an extension from the existing public water supply in the village of Kilnamartyra.
31.
asked the Minister for Local Government the up-to-date position regarding the group water scheme at Castle Ellen, Athenry, County Galway.
A design for this scheme, to serve 29 houses, was prepared by the ESB and has been examined in my Department and by Galway County Council. Some technical aspects of the design require revision and my Department is in touch with the ESB on the subject.
32.
andMr. Cooney asked the Minister for Local Government the present position regarding the Ballinalack, Rathowen, water scheme, Mullingar, County Westmeath; the date on which it was submitted to his Department; and when sanction will be given to proceed with the work.
This scheme constitutes stage eight of the Mullingar Regional Water Supply Scheme, the original proposals for which were submitted to my Department in 1963. Stage one of the regional scheme was completed in 1967 and stage two is currently in construction. As stage eight is preceded on the county council's priority list by a number of urgent and important schemes, I cannot say when it will be sanctioned.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that when Deputy Blaney was Minister for Local Government in 1961 or 1962 he envisaged having all those schemes completed in five to seven years? Is the Parliamentary Secretary not aware that those schemes are all held up due to lack of money, and when will money be made available to proceed with them?
Westmeath County Council have a priority list of water and sewerage schemes. This scheme is No. 4 on it and if the Deputy wants to have it given top priority, then he had better talk to his local authority.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that we were asked to draw up this list in 1961 or 1962 and submit it to the Minister for Local Government, and the Minister even said in this House that county councils were not doing this quickly enough. All the schemes were to be finished within five to seven years. They are not completed because there is not sufficient money. Is the Parliamentary Secretary further aware that we had to change our priority list due to directions we got from the Department of Local Government. Existing sewerage schemes that were not able to deal with the overloading and sewerage schemes where new houses were being built had to be placed first and second. That is the reason why this project was moved back.
The reason why any scheme is moved back or forward depends on the local authority. It is they who draw up the priority list.
It does not. Does the Parliamentary Secretary know the rules and regulations of the Department of Local Government? Does he know that a circular was issued to all local authorities calling on them to change their priorities?
The Deputy is not right.
We had to change them on account of the directions we got from the Department. We had the plans ready to go ahead with all those schemes but the Department had not the money. They knew that by telling us to change the schemes it would take three or four years to draw up the plans, which would give them a chance of having some money ready in the kitty.
The Deputy is quite wrong. Prior to that circular—I am speaking from memory—you had running side by side a separate water priority list and a separate sewerage priority list, and the basis of that circular was that the council should decide whether there should be a water scheme and a sewerage scheme or whether there should be a water scheme, two sewerage schemes and then a water scheme, a composite priority list. That is what that circular did, not what the Deputy says.
These regional water supplies were to be on a five-year plan, starting in 1963, which means that they were to be completed by 1968. They were put on the long finger because of shortage of money.
33.
asked the Minister for Local Government if there are any proposals with his Department to extend the Millstreet sewerage scheme to cater for 50 houses at Lackabawn, Millstreet, County Cork.
Preliminary proposals for a sewerage improvement scheme for Millstreet are before my Department but, as I already informed the Deputy, the latest information available to me indicates that the scheme is not accorded a high priority on the local authority's water and sewerage programme.
34.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will sanction a sewerage pump for Tunnell Road, Edenderry, County Offaly.
I hope to be in a position to convey a decision to the local authority on this proposal shortly.