asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware of the fact that many group water schemes and regional water schemes in County Galway are being held up in his Department due to the lack of finance; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Water Schemes.
268.
Group schemes in County Galway have been installing piped water in about 1,000 houses or more each year since 1977. In 1979, 1,064 grants were paid for group schemes in County Galway — this was the second highest total for any county in the country.
The level of group schemes activity in County Galway continues at a high level in the current year. At 30 September 1980: 34 schemes were designed to serve 1,050 houses; work was in progress on 59 schemes to install water in over 3,400 houses and for which 2,700 grants approximately have been paid; 190 schemes had been fully completed which serve over 5,650 houses.
The EEC have adopted new measures for FEOGA aid to the western counties. If the programme submitted to the Commission by the Department of Agriculture is approved, I hope to be in a position early in 1981 to announce substantially increased grants for group water schemes in the western area. This should give a further boost to group scheme activity in County Galway.
I am aware of the importance of regional water schemes in facilitating further group water scheme development in the county. These regional schemes must however, be considered in the context of the overall resources available for the sanitary services programme, the need to conserve available capital for schemes of the highest priority and the number of fully approved schemes in progress or getting to construction for which adequate finance must be provided. In this connection, I would point out that six sanitary services schemes in County Galway, involving a total investment of more than £3 million, have been fully approved since 1977 and that the total capital allocation for major schemes in the county was £1.466 million in 1977 and has risen to £2.501 million in 1980. Only two of the six schemes mentioned have yet reached construction stage and two are at tender stage.
269.
asked the Minister for the Environment the present position regarding the proposed group water scheme at Ardrahan, County Galway.
The design for this scheme has been approved by both my Department and Galway County Council. In view of the high cost of the scheme the group have decided to await the introduction of a new grant structure under the Regulation adopted by the EEC for a "Common Measure" for the improvement of public amenities, including rural water supplies, in the 13 western counties.