asked the Minister for the Environment if he will accede to the request of Galway County Council which was made in November 1981 to proceed with the preparation of contract drawings for zone 3 of the mid-Galway regional supply scheme which will provide a proper water supply for Athenry town, County Galway.
Written Answers. - Water and Sewerage Schemes.
313.
Preliminary proposals for zone 3 of the mid-Galway regional water supply scheme which included provision for serving the town of Athenry, were submitted to my Department in November and December 1981. In a letter to Galway County Council dated 9 March 1982, my Department recommended that contract documents should not be prepared for the scheme in view of the lack of major group water scheme demand and the long-term nature of the proposals to augment the water supply to Athenry. This position remains unchanged.
As an interim measure to improve the water supply in Athenry, Galway County Council have now submitted a proposal, under the 1983 small schemes programme, to develop a new borehole at Athenry at a cost of £15,000. I hope to determine the council's small schemes capital allocation for sanitary services shortly. It will then be a matter for the council to decide whether to proceed with the borehole development at Athenry this year.
314.
asked the Minister for the Environment if the recent cuts in public capital expenditure will affect the proposed Athenry sewerage scheme, County Galway, which was sanctioned recently.
The total capital provision for sanitary services for 1983 represents an increase of 17 per cent on the corresponding provision for 1982. I hope to be in a position shortly to determine the allocations for individual authorities including Galway County Council. The allocation for Galway County Council will include provision for the funding of the Athenry sewerage scheme for which a loan was sanctioned on 11 January 1983.
315.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware of the serious water supply problems which exist in Gort, Athenry, Loughrea, Craughwell and Kinvara, County Galway; and if he will make the necessary finance available to Galway County Council to improve supply to those towns.
Preliminary proposals for water supply schemes to serve Gort and Loughrea have been approved. The preparation and submission of contract documents, together with completion of legal formalities, is a matter for Galway County Council. The question of a financial commitment does not arise at this stage.
Proposals to improve the water supplies to Athenry, Craughwell, and Kinvara have been included in Galway County Council's small water and sewerage schemes programme for 1983. I hope to issue a capital allocation for small schemes shortly. It will then be a matter for Galway County Council to decide whether or not to go ahead with the schemes for Athenry, Craughwell and Kinvara within their small schemes allocation for the current year.