Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a gabháil leis an Teachta as an deis an scéal seo a shoiléiriú.

My colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, cannot be present and he asked me to take this matter on his behalf. The Milltown and Claregalway sewerage schemes are both included for funding in the Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009. When this programme was published in 2007, it was envisaged that Milltown and Claregalway would be advanced as part of a four-scheme bundle, which would also include the Craughwell and Carraroe schemes. The preliminary reports for Claregalway and Milltown were approved by the Department in 2003 and 2004, respectively. The contract documentation for these schemes was submitted to the Department for approval in 2008. However, at that stage, the component relating to the collection networks was not accompanied by the certificate of completion of planning necessary for the examination of the contract documentation by the Department. When the contract documentation was submitted for Milltown and Claregalway, Galway County Council also submitted a proposal to unbundle these schemes from the Craughwell and Carraroe schemes. The Department is considering this proposal in the context of the examination of the contract documents.

The Department works in close co-operation with Galway County Council in the progression of all the schemes in the county. The schemes for Milltown and Claregalway are among the 50 major water and sewerage schemes included in current investment programme for County Galway. The priority to be accorded to individual schemes is a matter, in the first instance, for Galway County Council.

Last July, local authorities were asked to submit an assessment of needs for water and sewerage services in their areas to the Department by 23 October. The Department is examining these assessments, which will form a key input to the development of the 2010 to 2012 water services investment programme. In conducting their assessments, local authorities were asked to prioritise schemes and contracts for progression over the coming years based on key environmental and economic criteria. The 2010 to 2012 programme will be a three-year rolling plan for the provision of major water supply and wastewater infrastructure.

Strategic environmental and economic objectives have provided the rationale for investment in water services infrastructure since 2000. With the changed economic climate, and the completion of the first cycle of river basin management plans by local authorities in the near future, there is a greater need than ever to focus on these key priorities. The 2010 to 2012 programme will do this by prioritising projects that target public health and environmental compliance issues, support economic and employment growth, and offer best value for money. The Department expects to publish the Water Services Investment Programme 2010-2012 early next year. I assure the Deputy that the Department will work closely with Galway County Council to advance priority schemes identified in the programme.

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