Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

This is to ensure they meet their intended objectives, are designed and constructed in an economical manner and produce drinking water or treated waste water to a standard that meets national and EU requirements. Necessary procedures such as the acquisition of land or fulfilment of statutory planning requirements such as environmental impact assessments, EIAs, must be completed before tenders can be invited for the construction of any scheme.

The Department recently extended a greatly increased level of responsibility to local authorities to speed up the process of new water services infrastructure. For every project in the water services investment programme valued under €5 million, local authorities are, as soon as they receive preliminary approval, clear to proceed right through to construction without further reference to my Department. This gives local authorities unprecedented authority to advance individual schemes with a minimum of departmental involvement. I hope the result will be a significant speeding up of hundreds of individual schemes from drawing board to completion. It will also mean that my Department's expertise can be concentrated on advancing the larger and more costly projects.

My Department's funding on water and sewerage schemes is not limited to the schemes included in the water services investment programme. Funding is also provided for the rural water programme, which includes funding for both water and sewerage schemes. National spending on rural water has increased dramatically from around €15 million in 1997 to €133 million in 2006. Real progress where it matters, on the ground, is being achieved throughout the country on the back of this increased investment.

When I announced the block grant allocations for the rural water programme in February, Limerick County Council received an allocation of €11.65 million, of which €650,000 is towards small public water and sewerage schemes. The allocation of €11.65 million compares with a spend of €4.35 million by the council in 2005.

I have listened carefully to what the Deputy has said and I thank him for the opportunity to outline my Department's support for the provision and upgrading of water and sewerage infrastructure in Limerick. I will have to check his statements on previous commitments and letters he received. I do not know whether the delay was at county council or Department level.

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