Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 February 2005
329 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his policy on the issue of giving development consent to projects which will cause new or continuing breaches of the urban wastewater treatment directive. [2384/05]
View answerConsiderable progress has been made in meeting our targets under the EU urban wastewater directive. Compliance with the December 2005 deadline of the directive, requiring secondary treatment for discharges from agglomerations exceeding a population equivalent of 2,000 in the case of fresh or estuarial waters, and 10,000 in the case of coastal waters, stood at 25% at the start of the national development plan. That has now risen to approximately 90%. All remaining schemes that need to achieve full compliance with the directive are included in my Department's water services investment programme 2004 to 2006, available in the Oireachtas Library.
The increase in wastewater treatment capacity over the same period is equivalent to the needs of a population of 2.9 million, seven times more than the increase achieved over the entire duration of the previous national development plan from 1994 to 1999. The target in the programme for Government for secondary wastewater treatment facilities to be put in place for every location with a population of more than 1,000 is now being implemented under the water services investment programme. Under the Planning and Development Act 2000 it is a matter for the planning authorities when considering applications for permission for development under section 34 of the Act, to consider whether there are deficiencies in the existing sewerage system. Where necessary, permission may be refused in such cases without attracting claims for compensation. Alternatively planning authorities may add conditions to the permission to require the developer to carry out works, including the provision of facilities, which the planning authority considers are required for the purpose of the development.
