Holly Cairns
Question:48. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps he is taking to assist communities in improving wastewater infrastructure. [47321/22]
View answerWednesday, 28 September 2022
Questions (48)
Written answers
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 Commission for Regulation of Utilities. Irish Water is working with local authorities across the country to ensure the investment supports the growth of identified settlements, where these are prioritised in line with the local authority development plans.
My Department’s Multi-annual Rural Water Programme, through Exchequer funding, delivers improvements to water services in areas of rural Ireland where there are no public water services.
On 28 April 2022 I announced funding for a new measure under the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme 2022-2025, for the Waste Water Collection and Treatment needs of Villages and Settlements that do not have access to public waste water services. Details of the announcement can be found at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/press-release/f2fa6-minister-obrien-announces-50-million-in-funding-to-improve-the-waste-water-needs-of-rural-villages/.
An allocation of €50 million has been committed under the National Development Plan for the new measure, which will focus on areas of most need based on housing and environmental criteria. It is expected that at least ten demonstration projects will be supported under this first round of funding. The demonstration project model will allow for the development of appropriate longer-term strategies, protocols and better inform future funding needs for the progressive development of public waste water collection and treatment infrastructure in villages/settlements that are currently without these services.
Details of the scheme, including terms and conditions and the relevant accompanying documents are available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/a524a-group-water-schemes-and-rural-water-issues/#waste-water-collection-and-treatment-needs-for-villages-and-settlements-without-access-to-public-waste-water-services.
The closing date for receipt of applications was 15 September 2022. An Expert Panel will now evaluate all valid bids and based on the recommendations of the Panel a report will be submitted for my consideration and approval.
In addition, a working group – the Rural Water Working Group - is considering the composition of the measures for inclusion for funding, including Community Waste Water Connections, under the upcoming programme. Once I have had an opportunity to consider their report, I expect to announce details of the programme priorities and an invitation to local authorities, to submit bids will follow later this year.