asked the Minister for Local Government when he will sanction the south Roscommon regional water scheme based on Killeglan springs; the grant that has been allocated to it; and the amount of this that is provided from EEC funds.
13.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Water and Sewerage Schemes.
12.
asked the Minister for Local Government when he will sanction a grant for south Roscommon regional water scheme based on Killeglan springs; and the sources from which the grant will be drawn.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 13 together.
I am not as yet in a position to give my decision on this scheme, contract documents for which are under consideration in my Department. It has qualified for EEC aid of £84,000 from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund. When the question of financing the scheme arises the balance of the cost will be met by a loan from the Local Loans Fund. The State assistance towards the repayment of this loan will be by way of contribution at the rate of 60 per cent towards the annual loan charges arising.
14.
asked the Minister for Local Government if there are any proposals in his Department awaiting his sanction to supply water to Drumshanbo from the south Leitrim regional water scheme.
There are no proposals in my Department awaiting sanction to supply water to Drumshanbo from the south Leitrim regional water scheme.
15.
asked the Minister for Local Government when he will approve the Effernagh and district group water scheme based on the south Leitrim regional water scheme.
My Department will advise the Effernagh group to have their scheme designed if and when it is established that a supply of water is available to the group.
Will the Minister state why a supply of water is not available to the group in view of the fact that this regional scheme was designed recently? I understood the objective was to supply water to the area.
On 28th June, 1976, Leitrim County Council informed the Department by letter that due to present commitments there was no spare capacity available from the Carrick-Mohill regional scheme stage one to cater for the group's daily requirements of 12,680 gallons. A further letter dated 4th July, 1976, from Leitrim County Council indicated that the council proposed to deal with documented applications designed for group schemes, and specifically the Effernagh scheme, in chronological order if any water became available. The Effernagh group were subsequently advised by the Department to think of an alternative source of supply but they have not succeeded in doing so. They are unwilling to bore a well. The group are still trying to get the permission of the council to connect to the Carrick-Mohill scheme but the council say they have not got the spare water. I think it will have to be settled at local level before we can do anything further about it.
Has the Minister any information to the effect that the reason they have not the extra water is because they have not the pumping capacity in the new pumping house?
That is not on file. The only reason is that they have not got it due to present commitments. I assume from that that there are other areas awaiting connection.
It is believed locally that there is not enough pumping capacity to pump the water to the area for which it was designed. Has the Minister any information on this matter?
No. The only thing that seems to be wrong is that the council gave the group the impression that the water would be available. They got the group to design a scheme for which they then said there was no water. We have chided them for doing this because we consider it unfair that a group should be advised to prepare a scheme if the water is not available.
If the water is not available now, how will it be made available unless it is pumped from the source?
There are no proposals before us on that point.
16.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will expedite sanction of the tender accepted in November, 1975, by Youghal Urban District Council for the proposed water and sewerage scheme at Youghal, County Cork.
I am not as yet in a position to indicate when a decision can be given on the tenders for this scheme which are under consideration in my Department.