Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 13 Dec 1990

Vol. 403 No. 10

Written Answers. - Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding.

Brendan Howlin

Question:

110 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for the Environment if capital schemes for water and sewerage works can be funded by central funding without requiring local authorities to carry loan charges; if any schemes have been funded in this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Brendan Howlin

Question:

111 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for the Environment if he has satisfied himself that all local authorities can comply with EC Directives on water and sewage; the capital schemes financed by his Department in this area for each of the last three years; the cost of each; and the local contribution expected in each case including loan charges.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Flynn)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 111 together.

Schemes to make good deficiencies in existing services, including deficiencies in relation in the requirements of EC Directives, have been a priority under the water and sanitary services capital programme during the eighties.

While drinking water is generally of a high standard, some supplies have not achieved full compliance with the Drinking Water Regulations, which give formal effect to Directive 80/778/EEC. The environment action programme commits the Government to ensuring between now and the year 2,000 that statutory drinking water standards are fully and consistently met in all areas.

A draft EC Directive on municipal waste water treatment is at present being negotiated. The environment action programme already includes objectives for the next decade which are consistent with the likely requirements of this draft Directive.

As regards the financing of the water and sanitary services public schemes capital programme, this was based prior to 1988 on local loans fund advances, which involved local authorities in having to meet loan charges partly subsidised by the Department of the Environment. Since 1 January, 1988 this funding arrangement has been changed and the capital cost of providing new and improved water and sanitary services public schemes has been met by way of 100 per cent grants from my Department. Over the last three years, capital grants totalling £192.7 million have been made towards some 430 water and sanitary services public schemes.

It would not be practicable, having regard to the time available and inordinate commitment of staff time and resources that would be involved, to tabulate the detailed information requested.

However, extensive information on the water and sanitary services programme is contained in two publications which I am launching today and of which copies are available in the Oireachtas Library; these are the EC approvedOperational Programme on Water, Sanitary and other Local Services, 1989-1993 and a booklet entitled Water and Sanitary Services in Ireland Policy and Programme for 1989-93.