Vol. 552 No. 2
111 Mr. D. Carey asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the information he has been given by Aer Rianta relating to a report that raw sewage is being disposed of from the Shannon Airport campus into the sea; and the information he has regarding the rectifying of this situation. [10584/02]
The licensing of a discharge to waters, together with general enforcement action for the protection and improvement of water quality, is a matter for the relevant local authority, in this case Clare County Council. These functions are performed by local authorities under the general supervision of the EPA. My Department has no supervisory role in relation to these matters and consequently would not be in a receipt of recent reports from companies in relation to their water borne discharges.
I understand from Clare County Council that Aer Rianta has been asked by the council to connect certain discharges from Shannon Airport to the Shannon town system rather than to provide a separate system for the airport alone. Discussions are under way between the council and Shannon Development regarding the taking over by the council of the water and sewerage services in Shannon town. I also understand that, subject to the outcome of these discussions, the council hopes to be in a position in the near future to connect discharges from Shannon Airport to the sewage treatment facilities in Shannon town.
In anticipation of the early conclusion of these discussions, I have allocated funding in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme, 2002-2004, to allow upgrading works, with an estimated cost of €8.88 million, on the Shannon town sewerage scheme. Clare County Council has submitted a revised brief for the appointment of consultants to prepare a preliminary report for this scheme and a decision will be made on it on receipt of further information, which has been requested from the county council.
