asked the Minister for the Environment the present position regarding the Ballinacarthy and Ballinacurra, County Cork group water schemes.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Water and Sewerage Schemes.
19.
Of the £10,690 State grants allocated to the Ballinascarthy group water scheme £9,450 has been paid to date. The final grants will be paid as soon as all outstanding work on the scheme has been completed.
With regard to the Ballinacurra group water scheme I assume that the Deputy is referring to the Kilmore-Innishannon group water scheme which will serve the Ballinacurra area. My Department's inspector has advised this group regarding the collection of local cash contributions which will be necessary to finance the scheme over and above State grants. As soon as these are collected grants will be allocated to the group and work may start on the scheme.
20.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he has received a proposal from Cork County Council to sanction a loan towards the cost of Reenascreena group water scheme; and if so, if he will sanction the grant without delay.
21.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will sanction West Cork County Council's request for the raising of £43,000 loan to defray the outstanding balance due on the Reenascreena group water scheme.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 21 together. The headworks for this scheme, which is now almost complete, were provided by the group. The Department are at present examining proposals submitted by Cork County Council for the financing of these headworks and a decision will be made shortly.
22.
asked the Minister for the Environment when it is intended to sanction (a) the seeking of tenders for stage 2 of the Ballincollig sewerage scheme and (b) the preliminary report in respect of the Bride Valley water supply scheme, County Cork.
I cannot as yet say when I will be in a position to convey approval to the local authority to seek tenders for stage 2 of the Ballincollig sewerage scheme contract documents for which are at present under consideration in my Department.
I have approved the preliminary proposals submitted for the Bride Valley water supply scheme. The further planning of the scheme is now a matter for the local authority.
23.
(Cavan-Monaghan) asked the Minister for the Environment the grants at present available for group water schemes from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund, the changes if any, regarding these grants and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Under Regulation 17/64/EEC, grants were formally available to group water schemes from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund. These were generally known as FEOGA grants and such grants totalling £1.18 million have been allocated to 99 group water schemes to date. FEOGA grant instalments totalling £170,003 have been paid in respect of 31 schemes and the balance of the outstanding grants will be paid by the EEC Commission on submission of additional claims on behalf of the groups involved. Group water schemes are no longer eligible for FEOGA aid under Regulation 17/64/EEC except in the case of 101 group schemes for which applications were lodged with the EEC Commission on or before 31 December 1978. The decision of the EEC Commission on these applications is awaited.
The EEC have recently proposed a new regulation for a common measure for the improvement of public amenities, including rural water supplies, in 12 western countries, including Cavan and Monaghan. Under the proposed Regulation group water schemes might qualify for FEOGA grants covering up to 40 per cent of the total cost of eligible schemes. I cannot say at this stage when the EEC are likely to formally adopt the proposed regulation.
Is there any possibility that any of these grants might be in any circumstances applicable to areas in urban centres?
The question refers to the subject matter of a scheme.
We are on to the next question now where we are talking about group water schemes in general. I want to know are they exclusively rural?
They apply to group water schemes wherever they are.
Does that include the city of Dublin?
The city of Dublin would be unlikely to have group water schemes because that is the concern of the Dublin County Council. Group water schemes are more common in the country but if there is a group water scheme in or around Dublin there would have been no reason in the past why it should not qualify.
The remaining questions will appear on the Order Paper for the next sitting day.