Mr. Fintan Towey:

Yes. Uisce Éireann has been through a process. A range of sites have been identified but there is a process of strategic assessment involving building a preliminary business case, refining a final business case and, ultimately, selecting and implementing projects. The process is towards the front end in terms of strategic assessment and building of preliminary business cases. Outside of what Uisce Éireann has been doing in that space, the Minister introduced a scheme last year whereby there was a call for applications from local authorities for development of wastewater treatment for small settlements and villages that are unsewered. The threshold for potential benefit under the scheme was set at a population equivalent of 150, which is about 40 houses. Local authorities were invited to put forward two applications for participation in the scheme. The scheme was introduced as a pilot scheme in order to try to identify the kinds of problems that exist and the priorities for resolution because of environmental health issues that arise, and to try to learn the best way of resolving those issues. That scheme was opened by the Minister last year and there is provision under the national development plan for a potential fund of €50 million over a period of five years. The closing date for applications was September last year. We received 23 applications under that scheme. The process entails those applications being examined by an expert panel. The panel is continuing with this work with a view to assessing the merits of the applications, having regard to the criteria for the scheme, which basically require there to be a population of 150 and environmental and public health risks that need to be resolved. I am not sure off the top of my head how many of those 23 applications fall within the Gaeltacht areas but that is something we can follow up on. The point to emphasise is that the purpose of this scheme was not to prioritise larger settlements; it was aimed specifically at small villages and settlements.

Regarding the Department's expenditure, the funding we apply in relation to water services is allocated primarily to Uisce Éireann. The figure for this year is something in the order of €1.65 billion. We also allocate funding, as I said my opening remarks, under the rural water programme. The funding is allocated to the local authorities so the administration of funding is through the local authorities but we maintain overall stewardship and control. I would not have the specific amounts on a year-by-year basis readily to hand but we can follow up with a note on that if it is helpful.