Vol. 507 No. 3
161 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 129 of 12 November 1998, the cost of the sewerage extension (details supplied) is greater than the maximum grant under the small schemes programme operated by his Department; when he will provide the funding for the proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16896/99]
While the cost of the extension referred to is greater than the maximum cost of schemes allowable under the small schemes programme, under the provisions of my Department's circular L11/98 of 8 December 1998, local authorities are allowed to break up larger schemes into phases costing less than £250,000 and to carry them out over a number of years under the small schemes programme. The responsibility for the selection of schemes to be advanced under the small schemes programme has been devolved to the local authorities.
If these extensions are not advanced under the small schemes programme, they fall within the ambit of circular letter L.9/98 of 22 October 1998 under which local authorities were requested to undertake a fresh assessment of the needs for capital works their areas and to prepare a prioritised list of projects based on the assessment. The priority lists will be taken into consideration by my Department in framing future water and sewerage services investment programmes under the next National Development Plan 2000-2006.
