John Browne
Ceist:65 Mr. Browne (Wexford) asked the Minister for the Environment when work on the new sewerage scheme for Bridgetown, County Wexford, will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10063/97]
Written Answers. - Water and Sewerage Schemes.
As already announced, responsibility for the administration of small public water and sewerage schemes has been devolved to the local authorities, subject to existing commitments on foot of approvals issued by my Department. A grant of £75,000 was approved for this scheme in July 1996 and the commencement of the scheme is now a matter for the local authority. The block grant allocations notified to the local authorities on 26 March 1997 take into account the commitments made.
Brendan Smith
Ceist:66 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for the Environment the stage of planning the proposed sewerage scheme for Mountnugent, County Cavan, has reached; when the preliminary report was submitted to his Department; when this report will be approved; when this project is likely to proceed to tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10095/97]
A preliminary report for the Mountnugent sewerage scheme was submitted to my Department in November 1994. However, having regard to the existing high level of commitments under the water and sewerage programme, I cannot say when it may be possible to approve this proposal.
Séamus Hughes
Ceist:67 Mr. Hughes asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make a statement on a group water scheme (details supplied) in County Mayo which is unable to upgrade the community group water scheme in view of a statement by Mayo County Council that the authority did not have the administrative capability to take on functions now transferred to it by his Department; the steps, if any, he is taking to ensure the council has in place the necessary resources; and the extra resources in personnel and money terms he is prepared to commit to Mayo County Council to enable it to discharge the functions recently assigned to it. [10097/97]
As already announced, responsibility for the administration of the group schemes programme has been devolved to the local authorities, subject to existing commitments on foot of approvals issued my my Department. Where schemes have already been approved, the local authority will issue the grant allocation to the group as soon as possible. Group water scheme grants of £92,800 have been approved in respect of upgrading works on the Belderrig scheme. Block grant allocations were notified to local authorities on 26 March, 1997 which take into account the commitments made.
The administration of the devolved arrangements may well involve the commitment of some additional resources by local authorities and this will be taken into account in the detailed implementation of the new system of local finance. I am not aware that the management of any local authority have indicated that they do not have the administrative capacity to undertake the functions in question. Ongoing discussions in this regard are taking place with representatives of the county managers.