Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to clarify the position on this important issue. I admire the forthright and candid submission he has made to the House.

I appreciate fully the Deputy's concerns about the negative impact on Kildare town of the lethargic approach adopted on this matter to date. The Kildare town sewerage scheme is one of a total of 19 water services projects being progressed in County Kildare at present, with the support of unprecedented Exchequer funding from my Department under the national development plan. The investment in new water services infrastructure all around the country has made a key contribution to economic growth that has benefited every part of Ireland. I am therefore as impatient as Deputy Ó Fearghaíl with any unnecessary bureaucracy, red tape or delay in introducing proposals of local environmental importance.

The range of new water and sewerage schemes planned or in progress in Kildare provides strong evidence of the Government's determination to safeguard the environment while making provision for new housing and jobs, and all the other requirements of a successful and growing economy. The Department's current water services investment programme covering 2005 to 2007 commits over €220 million to water and sewerage schemes in County Kildare. All those should be in place as soon as possible. Many towns and villages around the county can look forward to a new or upgraded water supply and sewerage facilities. Those projects should be approached with ambition locally.

The €20 million Kildare scheme involves a major expansion and overhaul of the waste water treatment plant, with capacity almost to treble from the current population equivalent of 9,700 to above 28,000. The scheme also provides for the rehabilitation of the existing collection system and the construction of new sewers to the west and south west of the town. It is, therefore, very important to the residential, commercial and industrial life of Kildare and its growth and development. The new infrastructure will also, of course, improve water quality in the Tully stream, the Finnery river and, in turn, the River Barrow.

All the multi-million euro projects being funded by the taxpayer must undergo detailed planning and assessment to ensure that they meet their objectives and are designed and constructed in as economical a manner as possible. However, I am glad to report that the Department's examination of Kildare County Council's preliminary report on the Kildare scheme is now very close to being finalised. I once again accept the Deputy's points regarding issues that have delayed the scheme; he is quite right in his analysis.

I also fully agree that this project is vitally important to the development of Kildare town as a whole. In particular, I am anxious to ensure that it be advanced as expeditiously as possible to facilitate redevelopment of the former Magee barracks under the affordable housing initiative. The Magee project offers an exciting opportunity, not just to deliver affordable housing but to secure a major regeneration covering a large area close to the heart of the town. The Department will work closely with the council towards that end.

The Department is fully committed to starting the scheme as quickly as possible. I expect and will accept nothing less in terms of local ambition. I assure Deputy Ó Fearghaíl that we will complete the assessment of Kildare County Council's report very shortly, with a view to putting the scheme out to tender as soon as possible. I have taken very careful note of the Deputy's points and will bring them to the attention of the relevant departmental personnel. I will request that the various serious observations made be fully examined. I reiterate the extraordinary work he has put into achieving this scheme and the contacts he has made with me and locally to see that it is delivered for the people of Kildare town as expeditiously as possible. I assure him that no effort will be spared on my part or that of the Department to get the scheme up and running as early as possible.

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