Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Deputy James O'Connor, who is not present at this point, flagged this item for discussion. If any other committee member wishes to come in on that, they should feel free to do so. It is item No. R2272B and it deals with the issue of wastewater treatment plants provided by developers that have not been taken in charge and what happens there. There is an update on a number of matters the committee raised.

I note there is one piece regarding The Limekiln, in Clogh, Ballacolla, County Laois, and Woodgrove in Portlaoise. The Limekiln is a housing estate in a small village. The developer complied with what was requested by the local authority and put in a reed bed system. I welcome the fact, as it states here, that:

In accordance with existing Government policy guidelines, [Uisce Éireann] is co-operating with the Planning Authorities nationally to assess the taking in charge of residential estates and the transfer of water services assets located in these estates...

It further states that:

These guidelines specifically ... [have to do] with estates with their own wastewater treatment plants provided by the developer... This infrastructure is referred to as DPI, or Developer Provided Infrastructure, and as detailed earlier in the document, DPI is standalone infrastructure which does not connect to the public water and sewerage network for which [Uisce Éireann] is responsible.

The treatment plant within this estate falls within this categorisation and therefore currently it cannot be progressed ...

While it is disappointing, it clarifies the situation regarding where there is a DPI, Uisce Éireann will just not deal with it so it is then back to the local authority to take it in charge. That is the only conclusion I can see from that and that is where it needs to be followed up on.