Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 8 Apr 2003

Vol. 564 No. 5

Written Answers - Industrial Development.

Pádraic McCormack

Question:

103 Mr. McCormack asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if her Department will make the ?391,000 grant available to the IDA to carry out the remedial works on the IDA sewer at Parkmore, Galway, in order that Galway City Council can take it in charge. [9636/03]

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. The total amount available to IDA Ireland in 2003 for building operations is €35 million, which is made up of €3 million in voted exchequer funding and €32 million from its own resources, through sales of fixed assets.

I have not received any requests for funding from the IDA in relation to the remedial works for the sewer and services at Ballybrit. I understand that 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 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, known as 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 represent no strategic benefit to the agency in its industrial development remit. Thus, it is the view of the IDA 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 on the business park. This remaining capacity is vital for the future marketing and development of the park, which is dependent on having a water supply and foul disposal capability that meets with the potential needs of IDA 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 the present time and that the services infrastructure does not require remedial work of the magnitude envisaged by Galway City Council. IDA has no plans to fund the costs of any remedial works over and above the level of works that they envisage. In the event of agreement being reached between IDA 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 the IDA property budget.