Martin Ferris
Question:414 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if work on the extension to the Ardfert sewerage system will commence in 2003. [24578/02]
Written Answers. - Water and Sewerage Schemes.
A preliminary proposal for sewerage works in Ardfert has been submitted to my Department as part of a grouped scheme to refurbish a number of small sewerage schemes in County Kerry but has not been approved. The grouped scheme was included in the list of 24 water and sewerage schemes submitted by Kerry County Council in response to my Department's request to local authorities to undertake fresh assessments 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 2002-04, published in April 2002. Because of the level of competing demand and the need to prioritise individual proposals on a national basis it has not been possible to include the scheme in the programme. It would, however, be open to the council to consider advancing the Ardfert scheme under the devolved rural water programme.