Vol. 497 No. 2
274 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if the proposed sewerage scheme for Midleton, County Cork, as put forward by Cork County Council has been approved in full by his Department; the alterations, if any, made by his Department to the proposed scheme; if so, the reasons for these; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24554/98]
The contract documents submitted to my Department in respect of this scheme contained a large number of variations, estimated to cost £1.6 million, from the proposals set out in the approved preliminary report. I have approved the contract documents, with those variations, including the provision of ultraviolet disinfection facilities, which were considered necessary to the effective operation of the scheme. A number of sewer lengths to serve undeveloped areas in Knockgriffin and Broomfield were not approved as they were not considered essential to the effective operation of the scheme and were not included in the preliminary report. Furthermore they would not, in accordance with long-standing policy, qualify for 100 per cent grant recoupment. It is, however, open to the council to consider alternative funding arrangements for these sewers.
