All Deputies are aware of the enormous strain economic growth is putting on infrastructure. Through local authorities, demands are being made on a weekly basis of the Minister for the Environment and Local Government for new projects to resolve many planning issues, particularly in relation to the need to provide water and sewerage facilities to meet the strict and proper planning conditions laid down by the Department and local authorities. I raise the issue of two schemes in Kilkenny submitted by the local authority to the Department of the Environment and Local Government, which are not affected by the infrastructural problems arising from economic growth. Because of their rural nature and the length of terrain involved as a result of the groups coming together, the work on the schemes is very expensive. Kilkenny County Council requires urgent action in terms of an allocation of finance from the Department of the Environment and Local Government to address legitimate concerns expressed over many years about the Lacken-Rathmoyle and Castlewarren group water schemes.
The council is given an allocation each year under the small schemes programmes for group water and sewerage schemes. This year £200,000 was allocated to Kilkenny County Council to meet its ongoing requirements. Work on these two schemes will cost more than £250,000. The Lacken-Rathmoyle group scheme will cost in the region of £450,000, while the Castlewarren group scheme will cost £300,000. There is a need for a once off financial allocation to meet the cost of these schemes, otherwise the work required cannot be done.
The voluntary groups and committees involved in these two schemes have done Trojan work in getting permission for rights of way and the provision of reservoirs and tanks, but the provision of reservoirs and tanks and road reinstatement costs under the Department of the Environment and Local Government guidelines are not taken into account in the grant they will receive from the Department. This puts an additional financial burden on the people who will ultimately take up the scheme.
In addition, Kilkenny County Council and the groups involved in these two schemes have not received any financial help under the European Regional Development Fund fund. Allocations from that fund have been made available to other counties. In regard to requests by officials of Kilkenny County Council in recent years, in some instances it was denied that the schemes could be funded from the European Regional Development Fund and in others, when it was accepted that the funds were available, there was no clear indication that Kilkenny County Council would be rewarded with any allocation from that fund.
There is great concern among the local communities of Lacken-Rathmoyle and Castlewarren about the work required in respect of two expensive rural schemes. There are 82 houses and 72 farms involved in Lacken and 54 houses and farms involved in Castlewarren. A well drilling source is required by the local community for Castlewarren, but the source is already available from Kilkenny Corporation for the Lacken-Rathmoyle schemes.
The community living in Castlewarren had to draw water in February and March. They did not have a proper water supply during the spring or winter months. That has been a recurring problem over many years.
I appeal to the Minister of State to indicate his interest in these two schemes and to ensure additional finance is allocated for schemes such as these that cost more than £250,000. As the county council cannot provide the resources for these schemes, we must depend on the Department to do so. We are dependent on the goodwill of the Minister of State and the Minister in respect of an allocation of national funds.
If money is not available for both schemes, it would be helpful if the Minister would allow the county council to charge interest on a loan that could be procured for the purpose of allowing one scheme to go ahead this year or the second scheme could be completed on that basis. A loan could be raised by the council and the interest charged could be given to the council from the Department. In that way a commitment would be given to provide the money to meet such a loan and the cost of a scheme next year. These two schemes have been on the stocks for a while and work on them is urgently required to ensure the provision of a good quality and reliable water supply. As we enter the next millennium, that is a basic human right and facility to which people are entitled, but the problem facing the people concerned is an expensive one to resolve. I appeal to the Minister of State to assist the Minister in the process sooner rather than later.
