Vol. 534 No. 4
160 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the plans he has to change the guidelines in relation to the grant system for group water or group sewerage systems to meet the demand for such systems to ensure the protection of and provision of proper drinking water to rural housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10962/01]
Last year, I announced a comprehensive package of measures for the improvement of rural water supplies, including significantly increased capital funding with grants of up to 85% of cost subject to a cost limit of £6,000 per house for the provision of new group water schemes and upgrading of existing deficient supplies. I also introduced a new 100% capital grant for the provision of essential water treatment and disinfection equipment on group schemes dependant on quality deficient private sources.
The national rural water monitoring committee has furnished me with proposals for meeting the waste water collection and treatment needs of small rural communities. This report recommends a pilot programme to test a range of new, small scale collection and treatment systems based on design, build, operate, DBO, procurement by local authorities. Subject to a satisfactory outcome to the pilot testing, the report envisages a potential role for group sewerage schemes in the collection of domestic waste water from households outside the immediate catchment of new treatment systems. Consequently, any such developments in relation to group sewerage schemes and any review of the associated grants must await the results of the pilot study.
161 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the proposals his Department has received from Kildare County Council in relation to the extension of the Rathangan sewerage system to include the many residential developments in the Newtown area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10963/01]
The Rathangan sewerage scheme was included, as a 2005 objective, on the list of water and sewerage schemes submitted by Kildare 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 were taken into account in the framing of the water services investment programme 2000-02, announced last July. Because of the level of competing demand and the need to prioritise individual proposals on a national basis, it was not possible to include the scheme in the programme at that time.
asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the position with regard to a new water supply for a town (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10964/01]
The Monasterevin water supply scheme was included in the 2000-02 water services investment programme as one to continue construction. It is now substantially complete.
163 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the timescale of the provision of a new sewerage collection system and treatment plant at Castledermot, County Kildare; the proposed starting date; if the contracts have been signed for land acquisition for the plant site, given the archaeological nature of the town; the plans he has to deal with this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10965/01]
Contract documents for the new waste water treatment plant to serve the town of Castledermot were approved in August of last year. The submission of the tender report and recommendations by Kildare County Council is awaited. While contracts for the acquisition of a site for the treatment plant have yet to be signed, agreement has been reached between the council and the owner of the site. Contract documents for the collection system are currently being prepared by the council. It is a matter for Kildare County Council to progress the scheme to construction.
164 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the proposals his Department has received for the provision of a new sewerage scheme at Ticknevin, Carbury, County Kildare, in view of the major difficulties residents of the area are experiencing with the present problem and in further view of the fact that a local farmer is willing to provide a site for the plant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10966/01]
This scheme was not included on the list of water and sewerage schemes submitted by Kildare County Council in response to my Department's request to local authorities to undertake a fresh assessment of the needs for capital works in their areas and to prioritise their proposals on the basis of the assessments. The priority lists were taken into account in the framing of the water services investment programme 2000-02, announced last July. Given that the scheme was not included in the list of priority schemes submitted by the council, it was not included in the programme.
165 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he has received any proposals from Kildare County Council for the extension of the sewage treatment plant at Ballitore, County Kildare, in view of the number of applications, including by the local authority itself, for the provision of housing development in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10967/01]
The scheme was included, as a 2005 objective, on the list of water and sewerage schemes submitted by Kildare 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 were taken into account in the framing of the water services investment programme 2000-02 announced last July. Because of the level of competing demand and the need to prioritise individual proposals on a national basis, it was not possible to include the scheme in the programme at that time.
