Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 July 2020
271. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the ongoing raw sewage contamination of watercourses in Broadford, County Clare owing to lack of sewerage facilities in the village; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17091/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. The Irish Water Strategic Funding Plan 2019-2024 sets out Irish Water’s multi-annual strategic business planning funding requirement of €11bn to 2024, comprised of a €6.1bn investment in infrastructure and assets, including €1.9bn for waste water, and €4.9bn in operating costs. In regard to overall investment, the Programme for Government states that the Government will fund Irish Water's capital investment plan for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure on a multi-annual basis and deliver the €8.5 billion funding package committed to in Project Ireland 2040. This overall funding commitment is key to addressing Ireland's shortcomings in water and waste water infrastructure.
Additionally, Irish Water brought forward proposals for a Small Towns & Villages Growth Programme, as part of its Capital Investment Plan 2020-2024 submitted to the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, which will support a number of the National Policy Objectives and National Strategic Outcomes under the National Planning Framework. The Small Towns & Villages Growth Programme is intended to provide water and wastewater growth capacity in smaller settlements which would not otherwise be provided for in its Investment Plan to 2024. Irish Water will work with local authorities across the country in ensuring the investment is made where it is needed most, aligned to core strategies. I understand that Irish Water is currently advancing its proposals on this programme.
In addition to the support the plan gives to sewered locations in urban and rural Ireland, Irish Water is also prepared to support local authorities who wish to seek funding for un-sewered villages through the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund of the National Development Plan.
Further detail in relation to the breakdown of Irish Water's capital investment should be sought from Irish Water.
Of note also is the Working Group established by my Department in April 2018 to conduct a review of rural water services. There is a two-strand approach to the considerations of the Working Group. Strand 1 considered the composition and distribution of funding for the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme 2019-2021 (which was announced last year), while Strand 2 is considering the long-term future resourcing of the rural water sector. The wastewater infrastructure needs of rural villages is an issue that the Working Group is to examine further.
