Responsibility for the administration of the Rural Water Programme, under which funding may be provided towards the connection of group water schemes to local authority public mains and towards the takeover of group water schemes by local authorities, has been devolved to local authorities since 1997.
The selection and approval of individual scheme proposals for advancement and funding under the programme, within the overall priorities set by my Department and subject to the block grant allocations provided, is therefore a matter for the water services authorities. The provision of Information on the number of group water schemes supplied from local authority public mains would, accordingly, be a matter for individual local authorities.
Under the Water Sector Reform Programme the primary focus of Irish Water will be on the delivery of services to customers on the public water and wastewater networks. My Department will remain responsible for the overall policy and funding of the non-public sector, including the group water sector.
In order to facilitate the establishment of a new public water utility to take over responsibility for the delivery of water services, a number of work-streams have been set up under the Water Sector Reform Programme to assist with the transition of services to Irish Water. One such work-stream is dealing specifically with issues relating to the Group Water Sector. The objectives of this work-stream are to ensure that there is clarity of roles and responsibility for the group water sector and other components of the Rural Water Programme and to develop a medium term strategy for the sector.
