Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 24 Oct 2000

Vol. 524 No. 5

Written Answers. - Water and Sewerage Schemes.

Willie Penrose

Ceist:

386 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government whether his Department has received an application from Westmeath County Council, seeking approval to proceed to preliminary report stage, for the provision of sewerage facilities for Mount Temple, Moate, County Westmeath; if he will ensure that immediate approval is given to the council to proceed to this stage in view of the fact that a new sewerage scheme is essential for Mount Temple; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23201/00]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey):

My Department has no formal proposal from Westmeath County Council in relation to this scheme. It was included in the list of schemes submitted by the council in response to my Department's request to local authorities to undertake a fresh assessment of the need for capital works in their areas and to prioritise their proposals on the basis of the assessment. It was not, however, assigned a high priority by the council. The priority lists were taken into account in the framing of the Water Services Investment Programme 2000-2002 announced in July. Given the priority rating afforded to the scheme by the council, the level of competing demand and the funding available, it was not possible to include it in the programme at that time. It would, however, be open to the council to consider advancing the scheme under the devolved small schemes programme.