Vol. 519 No. 7
11 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will provide the necessary funding to enable stage four of the north east Kerry regional water scheme to proceed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14759/00]
Contract documents for stage four of the north east Kerry, Listowel, water supply scheme were submitted to my Department in 1991 but have not been approved. It has not been possible to advance the scheme in the absence of a reliable water supply which will depend on completion of phase two of the north east Kerry water conservation project. Proposals to advance phase two are under consideration in my Department and will be dealt with as quickly as possible.
The Listowel scheme is first on the list of projects submitted by Kerry County Council in response to my Department's request for local authorities to undertake fresh assessments of the need for capital works in their areas and to prioritise their proposals on the basis of these assessments. The priority lists will be taken into account in the framing of water services investment for this and future years under the National Development Plan, 2000-2006. It is slightly higher on the list than the last time the Deputy asked about it.
I understand from Kerry County Council engineers that a sufficient volume of water is available now to enable the scheme to go ahead and that stage two of the conservation programme is not necessary to ensure an adequate water supply. Is the Minister aware that the area the scheme will supply is now the largest populated part of the country without a mains water supply? Approximately 600 families are without a mains water supply in this area and it is most unfair that they continue to be neglected given the fact that the matter has been with the Department since 1991. I realise it was with the Department during our period in Government, but these people should be taken out of their misery. Will the Minister announce funding for this when he makes his announcement in three weeks time?
I doubt if the Deputy's statement about this being the largest area in the country without piped water supply—
Populated area.
In my electoral area there is a population of about 12,000 outside the towns and villages and there is very little piped water supply for them. There is a dispute about whether phase one of the conservation project had achieved sufficient progress to allow stage four of the Listowel scheme to proceed. The technical advice available to the Department is that phase one has not been sufficient. The north-east Kerry rural water scheme is dependent on stage four of the Listowel water scheme as a source of water and stage four is dependent on phase two of the north-east Kerry water conservation project. That will reduce leakage to ensure a sufficient supply of water. It is almost there at this stage and the fact that Kerry County Council has put this as number one on the list will ensure an early decision on it.
Does the Minister agree he could give approval to proceed with the first stage – invitation of tenders – while phase two of the conservation project would take place to ensure a sufficient volume of water? If he must wait until phase two is finished, it will postpone the development of stage four for another year or two. Is he prepared to proceed on the grounds that phase two will be completed by the time stage four is ready to proceed?
What I said earlier, and I appreciate that I might not have made it that clear, is that phase two of the water conservation project needs to be advanced to be cleared to proceed. If it is given clearance to proceed, I do not have to wait for it to be completed. I only need for it to be given clearance. The problem which has arisen is that it has not been given clearance so far. However, given the priority accorded to it by Kerry County Council, that clearance will not be long delayed.
Can we expect an announcement in three weeks?
I will make an announcement in three weeks but I will not tell the Deputy if it will be included.
I am reading the Minister's lips.
