The Farmer's Bridge group is one of the most ambitious in the country. It is part of an investment programme for County Kerry which covers not only extensive water supply but a fast developing waste water treatment element. Between 1987 and 1991 over £21 million was spent by the Government in providing new and improved water and sewerage schemes. Most of the central regional water supply scheme is already in place following the recent completion of stage 8. Sewerage schemes for Killarney, Listowel, Castleisland and Ballybunion are either complete or under construction and plans are being prepared for coastal sewerage schemes at Tralee, Cahirciveen, Dingle, Killorglin and Kenmare.
The Farmer's Bridge scheme, which is being developed in five phases, will serve up to 1,100 households and farms when fully completed. It will provide a major part of the infill for the Kerry central regional water supply scheme.
The scheme traverses the heartland of the regional scheme. Accordingly, the trunk main networks require costly upsizing to regional scheme specification in order to comply with Kerry County Council's long term plans for the region.
As the Deputy knows, the development of the scheme is proceeding on a phased basis because of the size and complexity of the project and the limited resources of the group water scheme programme. Phases 1 and 2 are almost complete and serve over 600 houses and farms. State grants of £900,000 have been paid to date.
Phase 3 was recently allocated grants of over £500,000. This phase will extend the public water supply to over 250 households and farms as well as providing an alternative water supply to Abbeydorney and Kilflynn. This will eliminate water quality problems in those areas. Work is progressing satisfactorily on phase 3 and is expected to be completed in the current year. Grant payments to date amount to £204,500. The balance of £309,000 will be paid according as work progresses on the scheme.
The development of phases 4 and 5 will substantially complete the overall scheme and will extend piped water supplies to a further 300 households in the Kielduff, Lahern and Doon areas.
The design for the remaining phases has been approved by Kerry County Council and my Department. The cost of completing both schemes to regional scheme specification is under examination at present and is provisionally estimated at almost £600,000.
I cannot be definite at this stage about when it may be possible to approve grants for phases 4 and 5. We are still involved in financing phase 3 and as the Deputy will know, there are many other pressing commitments around the country. I will, however, bear in mind the very forceful points made by Deputy McEllistrim about the urgency of phase 5.
The Dáil adjourned at 5.30 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Friday, 13 March 1992.
