Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 November 2021
93. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the person or body that is responsible for the design and delivery of new sewage treatment infrastructure for towns and villages that have no such infrastructure in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54787/21]
View answerMy Department builds its strategic water policy and infrastructure delivery programmes around the National Planning Framework 2018-2040 and the National Development Plan 2018-2027. Investment is primarily delivered through Irish Water while my Department operates the Rural Water Programme directly.
Since 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 takes a strategic, nationwide approach to asset planning and investment, and meeting customer requirements. The prioritisation and progression of individual projects and programmes is a matter for determination by Irish Water.
As part of Budget 2022, I secured funding of over €1.5 billion to support water services. This includes €1.4 billion in respect of domestic water services provision by Irish Water. This overall investment will deliver significant improvements in our public water and waste water services, support improved water supplies right across Ireland, including rural Ireland, and support a range of programmes delivering improved water quality in our rivers, lakes and marine area.
The Programme for Government supports the uptake of Irish Water's Small Towns and Villages Growth Programme 2020-2024, which will provide water and waste water growth capacity in smaller settlements that would otherwise not be provided for in Irish Water's capital investment plan. I understand from Irish Water that an allocation of almost €100 million for this programme was approved by the CRU. Irish Water is working with local authorities across the country in ensuring the investment supports the growth of identified settlements where these are prioritised in line with the local authority development plans.
Complementary to Irish Water’s Small Towns and Villages Growth Programme 2020-2024, my Department is currently examining waste water requirements in the context of villages and similar settlements that do not have access to public waste water infrastructure.
I have instructed the relevant officials in my Department to prepare a report on this topic at a national level. This report will include the analysis of a baseline survey of all rural local authorities, to quantify and qualify the number of villages and similar settlements concerned. This process is at an advanced stage, and I will be in a position to consider the matter further in relation to these villages and similar settlements, as identified in the survey, once I have received the final report.
