Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 December 2016
257. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if there is any grant support available to persons who may have the opportunity to connect into the main sewerage system as part of a major investment project by Irish Water (details supplied). [40099/16]
View answerSince 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on a dedicated number, 1890 578 578.
Under my Department’s new Rural Water Multi-annual Programme 2016-2018, funding is provided for demonstration Group Sewerage Schemes, through Measure 4(d), where clustering of households on individual septic tanks is not a viable option, particularly from an environmental perspective.
Local authorities were invited in January 2016 to submit bids under the programme. The invitation envisaged no more than two demonstration sewerage projects being brought forward under the measure in any one year of the three year programme. The demonstrations will allow my Department, over the course of the programme, to determine the appropriate enduring funding levels and relationship with the current grant scheme.
Following examination of all local authorities’ proposals under this measure by the Expert Panel convened for this purpose, schemes were recommended for funding under the Programme. A copy of the Expert Panel’s report and consideration of all proposals under the Programme including details of grants under the Programme are available on my Department’s website at the following link: http://housing.gov.ie/water/water-services/rural-water-programme/group-water-schemes-and-rural-water-issues.
