Vol. 490 No. 5
54 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government whether water and sewerage facilities currently in place or anticipated are adequate to meet residential and industrial requirements in view of current levels of industrial investment and nil emigration trends; the expected extra requirements in this area in the next ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10491/98]
I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 16 and 92 of 5 March 1998.
As well as State and EU funding being provided to extend public and private water supplies, a major investment programme is also under way to improve sewage treatment and collection facilities. Since 1994, more than £258 million has been spent on major public sewerage schemes. A further £185 million has been provided for my Department's 1998 capital investment programme for water and sewerage schemes. Within this investment programme with the aid of EU co-financing my Department, in conjunction with local authorities, is engaged in the improvement and expansion of sewage treatment and collection infrastructure having regard to the requirements of the urban waste water treatment directive and to facilitate new development.
In relation to new development, I refer in particular to the serviced land initiative introduced in November last. Arising out of the recent report of the study on houses prices the funding for the initiative has been doubled with the result that £30 million will now be available over the 1998-2000 period for water and sewerage services to open up land for residential development. Details of the schemes to be funded from the initial tranche of funding were announced yesterday and provide for over 45,000 housing units.
