Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is a very helpful debate and has been so for the past two and a half hours. Heretofore, years ago, if there was a need for an extension to a wastewater treatment plant or water services, the local authority put forward a plan and the Department funded it, if it saw fit to do so. The Minister probably signed off on that. How is it possible to now get an extension to the wastewater infrastructure for small towns or villages, or even those that are larger? How are such works put forward? Who puts them forward? Is there an evaluation process in Uisce Éireann or the Department, or how does the whole process work? I ask this because I am mystified as to how an extension can be got to a sewerage scheme or a water scheme.