Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 September 2022
274. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the examination of the alignment and EPA certificate of authorisation of a number of small-scale waste water treatment plants servicing small local authority housing estates, including Rocksprings in Kilross, has been completed; and if not, if a date for its completion and publication is envisaged. [45797/22]
View answerThe Water Services (No 2) Act 2013 provides for the –
- establishment of Irish Water and
- transfer of water services functions, property and assets from local authorities to Irish Water by way of Ministerial Order.
This asset transfer process began in 2015, and by end June 2022, a total of 22 Ministerial Orders had been made to transfer water services assets from the local authorities to Irish Water. Some 3,306 asset properties have now transferred, and a further 1,200 assets are expected to transfer before year end.
Whereas good progress is being made, it is expected to take a number of years for the process to be completed. The legal teams at Irish Water and the local authorities continue to work together, and have complex legal issues to settle in significant volumes of assets. These involve title deed queries and searches, ownership structures, boundary rectifications and first registrations – all needing to be settled before all assets can be transferred.
Part of this ongoing transfer process relates to the future ownership structure for small water and waste water treatment plants and if they are part of the public water system - which would include small-scale waste water treatment plants like Rocksprings in Kilross. At present there are differing views as to where responsibility lies for these systems. My Department is examining this issue and will be engaging with Irish Water, the local authorities, the EPA and others to reach a common view and understanding on the small water and waste water treatment plants. This examination will feed into the ongoing (regular) asset transfer process and, as such, there will be no formal output nor publication.
