Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 October 2007
554 Deputy James Reilly asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will review the grant for group drainage schemes which currently appears to be a maximum of €2,000 per household; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23321/07]
View answerThe Department is funding a pilot programme, proposed by the National Rural Water Monitoring Committee, to test a range of new, small-scale wastewater collection and treatment systems under Irish conditions. The objective of the pilot programme is to evaluate new approaches to meeting the wastewater collection and treatment needs of rural communities and to examine the potential role for group sewerage schemes in extending collection systems to households outside the catchment of new or existing sewerage networks.
Construction of the pilot projects is now substantially complete with commissioning expected this month. Monitoring of the performance of the new infrastructure by the National Rural Water Monitoring Committee will begin immediately after that. The Committee has been asked to report to me on results as they become available. I intend to review the grants for group sewerage schemes in light of the outcome of the pilot programme.
