Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 1 Apr 2003

Vol. 564 No. 1

Written Answers - Remedial Works Funding.

Pádraic McCormack

Question:

155 Mr. McCormack asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if her Department will make available a grant of ?391,000 to IDA Ireland in Galway to enable it to carry out the necessary upgrading of the IDA Ireland sewers at Parkmore, Ballybrit, Galway, to allow Galway City Council to take in charge the sewers and water main at that location; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8883/03]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney)

The management of the industrial property portfolio is a day to day matter for IDA Ireland and not one in which I have a direct function. I have not received any requests for funding from IDA Ireland in relation to the remedial works for the sewer and services at Ballybrit. I understand the services in question were constructed by IDA Ireland in the mid 1970s and involved bringing foul sewer-surface sewer and water services from the then existing services at IDA Ireland's Ballybrit industrial estate to service new lands acquired by the agency at Parkmore, located to the west of Galway city. These services are owned by IDA Ireland and are the sole means of providing these services to the Galway Business and Technology Park, Parkmore East and West. At the time of construction, all costs attributed to the development of these services were borne by IDA Ireland.

While IDA Ireland has indicated it has no objection in principle to the taking in charge of these services by Galway County Council, it must be noted that this would not represent a strategic benefit to the agency in its industrial development remit. Thus, it is the view of IDA Ireland that, in any such transfer, a proportion of the remaining capacity in both the foul sewer and the water supply must be available to industry locating in the Galway Business and Technology Park, Parkmore East and West. This remaining capacity is vital for the future marketing and development of the Galway Business and Technology Park, which is dependent on having a water supply and foul disposal capability that meets with the potential needs of IDA Ireland client companies.

Galway City Council has informed IDA Ireland that it requires the agency to undertake approximately €391,000 of remedial works to the services infrastructure prior to Galway City Council taking the services in charge. The works in question relate to parts of the infrastructure which may need future replacement in the short to medium term due to its age. It is the view of IDA Ireland that this level of expenditure is not warranted at present and that the services infrastructure does not require remedial work of the magnitude envisaged by Galway City Council. IDA Ireland has no plans to fund the costs of any remedial works over and above the level of works it envisages. In the event of agreement being reached between IDA Ireland and Galway City Council regarding the scale of remedial works necessary in order to have the services taken in charge, funding for the works could be provided from within IDA Ireland's property budget.