Vol. 508 No. 1
619 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the urgent need for a new sewerage scheme in Skibbereen, County Cork, in view of the fact that the system is a pre-famine network of old stone box culverts through which raw effluent is discharged; and if arrangements are being put in place to enable the scheme to proceed. [18085/99]
A preliminary report for the Skibbereen sewerage treatment works has been submitted to my Department. The report will be considered in the context of Cork County Council's review of sludge strategy for the county which is due to be completed shortly, and which may have implications for the design of the Skibbereen scheme.
In addition, as the scheme is not included in the 1999 water and sewerage services investment programme it comes within the terms of my Department's circular letter L9/98 of 22 October 1998. This circular asked each local authority to undertake a fresh assessment of the needs for capital works in its area and to prepare a prioritised list of projects based on the assessment. The priority lists will be taken into consideration by my Department in framing future water and sewerage services investment programmes under the next national development plan 2000-06.
