Dr. Edmond O'Reilly:

Gabhaim buíochas as an gceist. The Deputy made reference to the scheme that the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has been administering under the multi-annual rural water programme and that €50 million fund. We have engaged with the Department on that and have assisted in the tactical assessment of the proposals. Indeed, we have representatives sitting on the expert panel that the Department is chairing. From that programme’s perspective, once any new schemes that arise from that are completed, Uisce Éireann has agreed to take them in charge. The concept is there that if it is funded, Uisce Éireann will take it in charge once it has been built according to Uisce Éireann standards and so forth.

In terms of other funding schemes, I am not at liberty to say what could potentially be in place or who could fund what, but for anything that is built to Uisce Éireann standards, Uisce Éireann, generally speaking, has been of the view it would take it in charge.