Vol. 541 No. 2
698 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if individual sewerage scheme grants will be increased in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the intentions of his Department and the way in which this scheme can be delivered. [21703/01]
715 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he intends to increase the rate of grant in respect of group sewerage schemes; and, if so, when the increase will be announced. [21873/01]
716 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will consider increasing the grant level for group sewerage schemes to the same level as applies to group water schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21874/01]
733 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if further progress has been made in relation to the policy to provide sewerage facilities in rural towns and villages; if the application by Westmeath County Council to have Castletown-Geoghegan accepted as a pilot site for a proposed initiative in County Westmeath has been approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22211/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 698, 715, 716 and 733 together.
The national rural water monitoring committee has reported to me with proposals for meeting the wastewater collection and treatment needs of small rural communities. The 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. The proposal submitted by Westmeath County Council in respect of Castletown-Geoghegan will be considered for inclusion in the pilot programme for which contract documents are currently being prepared.
Subject to a satisfactory outcome to the pilot testing, the report envisages a potential role for group sewerage schemes in the collection of domestic wastewater from households outside the immediate catchment of the new treatment systems. The confirmation of such a role for group sewerage schemes and any review of the associated grants must await the results of the pilot programme.
