asked the Minister for Local Government why a recent tender for the completion of Falcarragh sewerage scheme, County Donegal, was rejected by his Department.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Water and Sewerage Schemes.
9.
Contract documents for Stage 2 of the Falcarragh sewerage scheme are under consideration in my Department. I cannot as yet indicate when a decision thereon will issue to the local authority. When it does, a decision will also be given on proposals for the acceptance of tenders, the invitation for which was premature.
Is it not a fact that this tender is either held up or has been rejected?
Tenders were submitted to the Department for approval quite some time ago and contract documents were submitted subsequently. The amount of money which was applied for was not available at the time and what I have said to Deputy Blaney is that the contracts were set before the application was made to know whether there was money to proceed with the scheme. The whole matter is being reviewed and, with a by-election coming along, you would never know what might happen.
It is on the right side of the line all right. However, what I would like to impress on the Minister is that it is an on-going scheme and therefore I would ask the Minister to give particular consideration to its completion, apart altogether from the consideration that a by-election will ensure that it gets.
10.
asked the Minister for Local Government the position regarding the proposed group water scheme for Meenmore, Dungloe, County Donegal.
As the Deputy will be aware, the administration of group schemes in Donegal has largely been devolved to the county council. I understand that a proposal for a group water scheme was mooted for the Meenmore area in early 1975. Subsequently, the county council, in considering a proposal to improve the Burtonport public supply, felt it might be desirable to integrate the two proposals. I understand that the position will be examined further when the council receive a report from their consultant in the matter.
While one can applaud the Minister's devolution of authority and power to the Donegal County Council, I would request him not to wash his hands of the responsibility that his office carries with it.
To be fair to the Donegal County Council, since they have had these schemes devolved they are doing quite well.
Not as well as they would need to do.
That is a matter of opinion.
I would like the Minister not to wash his hands of the matter.
Local authorities are entitled to responsibility.
11.
asked the Minister for Local Government when he will sanction the proposals for the sewerage scheme for Arklow, County Wicklow.
I have recently approved the preparation of contract documents for a sewerage scheme to serve the Coolgraney Road/Wexford Road area of Arklow town.
12.
asked the Minister for Local Government when he proposes to sanction the Keel/ Pollagh/Dooagh sewerage scheme, County Mayo.
I cannot as yet indicate when I will be in a position to give my decision on this scheme.
Is the Minister aware that this is a tourist area and that there is great need for this development? I understand that it has been ready for contract for some time and could the Minister not give us some indication as to when we can expect some progress?
I would agree that, since it has proceeded so far, it is hard luck upon those who are waiting. However, Mayo County Council only have it No. 4 on their list of priorities, and have approximately £3 million worth of work before it. In addition to that, the allocation to Mayo for sanitary service schemes in 1976 is the highest allocation of any county. Therefore, while I sympathise with those who are waiting for water and sewerage, I would imagine they will have to wait some time further. There is no point in giving them false hope. It would appear that unless Mayo County Council decide to move it to the top of the priority list, even if the money was given it would not be spent on this scheme.
13.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will receive a deputation from the Ratheniska group water scheme committee in County Laois in connection with sanction for a loan to complete the headworks for their scheme.
The loan to finance Laois County Council's scheme for the provision of headworks for the Ratheniska group scheme is under consideration in my Department. I am at present unable to say when I will be in a position to approve of this loan. In the circumstances I feel that no useful purpose would be served by my receiving a deputation.
14.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will sanction the recent proposal from Wicklow County Council for a sectional part of the north-east Wicklow regional water scheme.
I am not yet in a position to give my decision on this proposal which is under consideration in my Department.
The Minister is aware that he stated that this area was a national priority? Is this correct?
I said it would be high on the national priority list.
The Minister actually said it was a national priority.
Let us have no argument.
I could not say that. What I said was that whether it was high on the Wicklow list it would also appear to be——
The Minister said——
A supplementary question, please, Deputy. No argument.
When does the Minister expect to be in a position to sanction this?
I cannot give the Deputy a definite reply, because the original proposals for the scheme were discarded due to local resistance and a number of technical and administrative difficulties. As I told the Deputy the last time, it has still to be cleared on a number of points at local level. If it is cleared, I would be under the impression that it is one that should get very early attention. It will help the Bray water supply as well as everything else.
The Minister will realise that this is only a section of the overall scheme and it has been cleared by the officials of the county council. It has been submitted in toto and it now rests with the Minister to sanction the scheme at a cost of £47,000.
No. The original proposals were not acceptable to somebody at local level and while it can be taken as a separate scheme it is part of a very much bigger scheme.
It is a section of the scheme.
It might not be a good idea to start doing it on its own, but as soon as the scheme is cleared that issue will be considered.
Whether the Minister accepts his own words of a national priority or mine in regard to Wicklow would he say if he is going to sanction the scheme soon?
This scheme Deputy Murphy is talking about is not high on the national priority list but the big one to which it is attached is high on the national list.
This goes to the very heart of——
This argument cannot continue. Question No. 15.
15.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will provide funds to Mayo County Council to carry out water and sewerage schemes in the north Mayo area.
I provided £693,200 in capital to meet expenditure in 1976 on water supply and sewerage schemes being provided by Mayo County Council, including £23,200 for small schemes. £571,500 of this was in respect of schemes in north Mayo. In addition I provided £31,000 to Ballina Urban District Council. These were, in my opinion, reasonable allocations having regard to the extent of the local programmes and the competing needs of other areas.
Is the Minister aware that we have an enormous industrial development in Ballina at the moment and that the projections given by planners from Mayo indicate that we are going to have a large increase in population in Ballycastle, Crossmolina, Killala and around that area? Would he agree that it is necessary to provide housing for people who would be coming there to take up work and that it is a special case?
I can understand a local authority who have a small allocation asking questions about part of their area not getting enough water and sewerage grants, but I cannot understand Mayo in view of the fact that they have got so much: £280,000 for Ballina Regional Stage 1 scheme between 1973 and 1976, and £193,500 for completion of the scheme in November, 1976. Stage 2 of that scheme, which will service Asahi, will cost £2.3 million, and they got £932,000 for the scheme in 1975 and 1976. For the Ballina Quay sewerage scheme £31,400 was provided between 1974 and 1976. There are many others, and I cannot understand Deputy Gallagher putting down questions to know why they should not get more. Does he want all the money for water and sewerage schemes in the whole country to be given to Mayo?
The Minister must be aware of the developments I have mentioned and the questions are not put down here for codology. We are sincere and are trying to help him and his Department to see that the money which should be provided——
A question please.
We know the whole country requires a great deal more money but a few years ago there were only £5.8 million for the whole country.
16.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will make funds available to Kerry County Council to erect a reservoir at Barleymount, Killarney, to enable group water schemes to develop in the Aghadoe, Ballyhar, Ballymalis and Listry districts; and the present position in relation to these schemes.
I approved of the Kerry County Council's preliminary proposals for this project some time ago. The question of finance does not arise at this stage. The Ballymalis/Listry group scheme is being designed and the Aghadoe and Ballyhar schemes are at a more preliminary stage.
Are there any proposals in the Department for the provision of funds for the erection of the reservoir at Barleymount?
There can be no question of an application for funds until they are cleared by the local authority, and they are not cleared yet.
17.
asked the Minister for Local Government when he proposes to sanction stage 1 of Belmullet regional water scheme, County Mayo.
Revised preliminary proposals for this scheme are at present under consideration in my Department. I will convey my decision regarding these proposals to the local authority as soon as possible.