Vol. 561 No. 4
188 Mr. McCormack asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will provide the necessary funding of ?391,000 to the IDA to enable it to upgrade the sewerage services at Ballybrit, Galway, in order that it can be taken in charge by Galway City Council, as this will be necessary for much needed expansion in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4598/03]
The management of the industrial property portfolio is a day-to-day matter for IDA Ireland and not one in which I have a direct function. I have not received any requests for funding from the IDA in relation to the remedial works for the sewer and services at Ballybrit. I understand that the services in question were constructed by IDA Ireland in the mid 1970s and involved bringing foul sewer-surface sewer and water services from the then existing services at IDA Ireland's Ballybrit industrial estate to service new lands acquired by the agency at Parkmore, located to the west of Galway City.
These services are owned by IDA Ireland and are the sole means of providing these services to the Galway Business and Technology Park, Parkmore East and West. At the time of construction, all costs attributed to the development of these services were borne by IDA Ireland. While IDA Ireland has indicated it has no objection in principle to the taking-in-charge of these services by Galway County Council, it must be noted that this would represent no strategic benefit to the agency in its industrial development remit. Thus, it is the view of the IDA that, in any such transfer, a proportion of the remaining capacity in both the foul sewer and the water supply must be available to industry locating on the Galway Business and Technology Park, Parkmore East and West. This remaining capacity is vital for the future marketing and development of the Galway Business and Technology Park, which is dependent on having a water supply and foul disposal capability that meets with the potential needs of IDA client companies.
