Vol. 474 No. 1
112 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for the Environment the number of group water schemes per county which need to be taken over; the cost in this regard; the finance available in 1997 in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2490/97]
As already announced, an additional financial provision of £5 million is being made available in 1997 and subsequent years to establish a new multi-annual programme of works to enable local authorities to take over existing group water and sewerage schemes, thus remedying substandard schemes and eliminating domestic water and sewerage charges for the group scheme members concerned. It is not possible, at this stage, to state the total cost of the programme or the number of schemes that will be involved. It will be a matter for each local authority to decide their own programme for the take over of schemes in their area, having regard to the wishes of the groups, the standard of supply, etc.
113 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for the Environment the efforts, if any, being made to ensure that EU directives in respect of sewerage treatment facilities will be met by 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2491/97]
The urban waste water treatment directive requires that an appropriate level of treatment be provided, by reference to the population served and the nature of the receiving waters, by the years 1998, 2000 and 2005. A major capital investment programme is in place with the objective of securing compliance with the directive. Certain information on the programme for the implementation of the directive is given in the document, "Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC): Article 17 Report-Ireland", which is available in the Oireachtas Library.
