Water and Sewerage Schemes Status

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 October 2012

Tuesday, 2 October 2012

Questions (375, 376, 377)

Dessie Ellis

Question:

375. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the findings of the steering group formed by Longford County Council and the Health Service Executive to investigate issues related to deficient private sewerage networks and sewerage gas ventilation systems in an area (details supplied) in County Longford; the explosions they investigated which happened on 15 march 2012; the recommendations made by this steering group into keeping the site safe for persons who live there and the assistance he plans to give the local authorities and the persons living on the estate to rectify the problems which are a threat to health. [41720/12]

Dessie Ellis

Question:

376. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government his plans to grant emergency funding to Longford County Council in order to deal with the unfinished housing (details supplied) in County Longford. [41721/12]

Dessie Ellis

Question:

377. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government his plans to set up an investigation into the planning procedure which resulted in the development of an area (details supplied) in County Longford which has serious issues with sewerage and sewerage gas systems which might have resulted in an explosion on the estate on 15 March 2012. [41722/12]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 375 to 377, inclusive, together.

Under the Public Safety Initiative for Unfinished Housing Developments my Department has made allocations totalling some €3.338 million to 21 local authorities from the funding made available to address immediate public safety issues. The types of works that have been approved to date include the fencing off of unsecured and hazardous areas, capping of pipes, installation of street lighting and other works to secure sites. In respect of the development of Gleann Riada, Longford, my Department approved funding totalling €91,753.40 in August 2012 to cover the cost of addressing immediate public safety concerns.

Issues pertaining to individual planning applications are matters for the local authority concerned, and my Department has no remit in this regard. However, I have been advised that, subsequent to the events of March 2012, Longford County Council appointed Tobin Consultants to investigate the causes of the explosion. The findings of this report were given to the occupants of the six properties involved. Longford County Council has also established a steering group to address the range of issues faced by the occupants of the Gleann Riada development. As this matter is currently the subject of legal proceedings, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.