Vol. 514 No. 3
243 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the position in regard to the extension of a water scheme (details supplied) in County Mayo; if he has received an application to meet a deputation in respect of this scheme; if so, if he has considered the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3916/00]
A brief for a major extension of the Lough Mask regional water supply scheme to serve Westport, Newport, Mulranny, Murrisk, and Louisburg, at an estimated cost of almost £21 million, was received in my Department in April 1998. Mayo County Council was subsequently requested to review the proposals in light of approvals of water supply augmentation schemes for Newport and Mulranny under the serviced land initiative. Following this review, the council intends to advance the proposal on a phased basis and has submitted a revised brief for phase I, involving an extension from Shrah to Westport at an estimated cost of £7 million. This phase is fifth on the list of water supply schemes submitted to my Department by Mayo County Council in response to my Department's request to local authorities to undertake fresh assessments of the needs for capital works in their areas and to prioritise their proposals on the basis of the assessments. The priority lists will be taken into account in the framing of water services investment programmes for this and future years under the National Development Plan, 2000-06.
The group water scheme referred to were advised in response to their request for a meeting to discuss the upgrading of their scheme that the matter was appropriate to the rural water programme, responsibility for which has been devolved to the local authorities.
