Vol. 535 No. 5
177 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that planning permissions are now being refused in Bandon, County Cork on the basis of inadequate sewerage facilities for zoned land, leading to a virtual standstill on development in the town; and if funds will be made available to upgrade the system. [13107/01]
A preliminary report for Bandon sewerage scheme was submitted to my Department in 1993 but has not been approved. This scheme was included in the list of water and sewerage schemes submitted by Cork County Council, for its southern division, in response to my Department's request to local authorities to undertake a fresh assessment of the needs for capital works in their areas and to prioritise their proposals on the basis of the assessments. The priority lists were taken into account in the framing of the water services investment programme 2000-2002 announced last July. Given the level of competing demand and the limited funding available, it was not possible to include the scheme in the programme. In the interim approval was given for the refurbishment of foul and storm sewers at O'Mahony's Avenue and Bank Place, Bandon, under my Department's serviced land initiative, which will provide services to lands being developed for housing.
