Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 November 2019
334. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of the ongoing EU Commission and European Court of Justice legal action against the State for breaches of the urban wastewater treatment directive. [47936/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing a judgment in March 2019 by the Court of Justice of the European Union on Ireland's non-compliance with the urban wastewater treatment directive, my Department, accompanied by Irish Water, met Commission officials and proposed a programme of measures to ensure this case is resolved. My Department will maintain close contact with the Commission while the case remains open.
Works have already been completed at 13 agglomerations to bring them into compliance with the Directive.
Ireland’s future economic and social progress is critically dependent on upscaling our capacity to deliver reliable, high quality water and wastewater services. In line with our Programme for Government commitments, we have committed substantial funding to strategically address the deficiencies in the public waste water system. Investment in waste water infrastructure is prioritised in the Irish Water Strategic Funding Plan and it is estimated that €1.9bn will be invested in waste water projects from 2019 to 2024.
Building water and wastewater treatment plants and upgrading or building water and wastewater networks as necessary require significant and sustained investment for which the Government is providing through the National Development Plan 2018-2027. This provides for an unprecedented investment in public water and wastewater infrastructure over the next ten years. This significant multi-billion euro investment programme will ensure the continued operation, repair and upgrading of Ireland’s water and wastewater infrastructure to support social and economic development across the State and continued care of the water environment.
