Vol. 419 No. 10
61 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment if he will outline in relation to the group water scheme programme (a) the number of schemes currently under way (b) the number of schemes awaiting approval (c) the average delay in issuing approval for schemes and (d) whether he anticipates any improvement in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Work is progressing on over 200 schemes at present. Some 60 further schemes are at an advanced stage of planning and a larger number are at earlier stages of processing.
A variety of factors such as land acquisition and way leave arrangements, location and testing of the source, enrolment of all potential members and collection of the local contributions, as well as budgetary factors, can all give rise to delays. It is difficult therefore to speak of an average delay in the approval of applications. Every effort is made to keep delays to a minimum.
