Water and Sewerage Schemes Status

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 July 2013

Thursday, 18 July 2013

Ceisteanna (460)

Andrew Doyle

Ceist:

460. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the Vartry tunnel replacement project and the action programme that is currently in place for the Vartry tunnel and water supply in County Wicklow, in view of recent reports of a fault line that has been identified; the measures he and his Department, the Environmental Protection Agency and the two local authorities involved in the tunnel are taking to address the deficiencies in quality and security of water supply; if there has been any development regarding a bypass tunnel or pipe and if his Department has received the contract documents from Dublin City Council so a replacement can proceed, in view of the fact that the Vartry tunnel dates from the middle of the 19th century and supplies 80 megalitres of potable water to 335,000 people every day; if he will outline, in tabular form, on a yearly basis, the amount of funding the Vartry tunnel has received from 2000 to 2012, and to date 2013; when he expects construction work to commence on a repair or replacement tunnel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36157/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The Dublin City Water Supply (Vartry Tunnel Replacement) Scheme is included in my Department’s Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2013 as a scheme to advance through planning.

My Department approved Dublin City Council’s Preliminary Report for this scheme in June 2007 and recoupment by my Department to Dublin City Council in respect of expenditure by the council on this scheme to date is set out in a Table:

Year	Recoupment
2005	€400,600
2009	€44,300
2012	€35,500

My Department has no responsibility for, or role in, the management, maintenance or operation of water infrastructure, including such matters as water quality and security of supply. This is a matter in the first instance for the relevant water services authority, in this case Dublin City Council, who are responsible under statute, for the operation, maintenance and management of water infrastructure, under the general supervision of the Environmental Protection Agency.

I understand that the City Council is advancing the planning of the Vartry Tunnel Replacement Scheme with a view to completing the statutory planning processes involved and preparing the contract documents for the scheme.