Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

The experience on the ground is far different from what the Minister stated in his reply. It takes approximately four and a half years for a scheme of €2 million to €3 million in value to be expedited through the system. That is the reality. The Minister mentioned deadlines of six months for preliminary reports and four months for contractors' documents to be submitted. I doubt that any local authority has met those targets. They should be evaluated for their performance. Officials of the local authorities would be indicted in their performance related pay on that issue alone if it was an accountable feature of their work.

No local authority should be involved in polluting streams and rivers. The Minister regularly speaks about proper planning and development. All developments should incorporate the most basic facilities of water and sewerage services that are part of the council's plans, but these are deliberately slowed down by the Department. The Minister is shaking his head but this is happening. In an effort to balance the books, the schemes are slowed down. The Minister puts everything into a plan or programme but they do not always emerge at the other end with the capital funding required. Will the Minister agree that the reality is far different from the six month and four month targets he mentioned? In my experience the total amount of time required for a scheme valued at €2 million to €3 million is four and a half years and that is without difficulties with legal title for sites for sourcing water supply or sewerage treatment plants.

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