Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 April 2023
770. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when it was decided to locate Uisce Éireann's new national laboratory in Limerick; the formal appraisal that was carried out on locations for this laboratory; if other locations considered for this previously; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16960/23]
View answerUisce Éireann has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. The scope, prioritisation and progression of individual projects is a matter for Uisce Éireann and is approved through its own internal governance structures.
However, in this instance Uisce Éireann as part of the Ministerial consent process for capital funding of projects greater €50m have provided information on this project.
The establishment of Uisce Éireann's new national laboratory in Limerick has followed the Water Services Sector Specific Guidelines on the Public Spending Code. That included the submission of the approved Final Business Case to my Department as part of the Ministerial consent process.
In 2014, Uisce Éireann commenced development of a strategy to address enhanced compliance requirements and the need for significantly increased sampling and testing and to provide a fit for purpose sampling and testing service capable of meeting these and future needs.
A thorough appraisal of various laboratory models determined that a two-laboratory model with an east-west configuration was needed with one laboratory located on the outskirts of Dublin to avoid traffic for speedy sample delivery. The second would then be located to the west of Ireland, towards the south as approximately 60% of water supplies are in the southern part of the country.
This led to the identification of the outskirts of Dublin as the location for one laboratory and Limerick as the location for the second.
Criteria for a suitable location included:
- proximity to demand (where the treatment plants are located),
- near good road networks,
- ability to get samples to the lab in time to test,
- proximity to an airport (if more complex specialist testing is required abroad),
- links to Universities was identified as very beneficial for the required staff cohort.
After receiving the necessary planning for the site, this laboratory is now under construction. It is anticipated that the facility will be operational in 2026.
Uisce Éireann 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, 0818 578 578.
