The Water Services Investment Programme 2010-2012, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library, provides for the development of a comprehensive range of new water services infrastructure in County Galway. The new Programme prioritises projects that target environmental compliance issues and support economic and employment growth as envisaged in the Government's policy document Building Ireland's Smart Economy — A Framework for Sustainable Economic Revival. The Council's proposal for upgrading the Loughrea water treatment plant is considered to reflect Programme priorities as the supply is on the EPA's Remedial Action List and was included in the programme. However, the proposed extension to the network, envisaged as part of the Loughrea Regional Water Supply Scheme, was not included in the Programme as it relates solely to expansion of the existing supply. This envisaged expansion would include the provision of the trunk main to serve Kilreekil.
Galway County Council submitted a revised Preliminary Report for the overall Loughrea Regional Water Supply Scheme to the Department in February 2010. As part of my Department's ongoing assessment of this Report, my Department is also examining Galway County Council's most recent cost estimates submitted in August 2010 for its proposals to provide a water supply from Loughrea to Kilreekil.
A decision on the Report, including the cost estimates, will be conveyed to the Council shortly. However, it should be noted that, although upgrading the treatment plant is a prerequisite to providing a water supply to Kilreekil village, the Council's proposals to connect Kilreekil to the Loughrea Regional Water Supply Scheme are not part of this project at this time. I have included a review process as one of a number of new measures in the Water Services Investment Programme 2010-2012, under which the Programme will be reviewed and updated annually to allow for any re-prioritisation required. The format and timing of the review process has still to be decided by my Department. Although Galway County Council has requested my Department to consider the inclusion of the trunk main to KIlreekil element of the Loughrea Regional Water Supply Scheme in the Programme, the Council will need to re-assess its Kilreekil proposals in light of my Department's assessment of its revised Preliminary Report for the entire Scheme, due to issue shortly.
Insofar as the Kilreekil Group Water Scheme is concerned, responsibility for the administration of the Rural Water Programme, which includes funding for group water schemes, has been devolved to local authorities since 1997. The advancement of individual group schemes under the programme, within the overall priorities set by my Department and subject to the block grant funding provided, is, therefore, a matter for the relevant local authority i.e. Galway County Council in this case.