Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy Neville for the opportunity to outline the current position on the Kilmallock sewerage scheme. My Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2010-2012, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library, includes a contract for the procurement of a new waste water treatment plant under the Kilmallock sewerage scheme to advance to construction during the period of the programme at an estimated cost of €3.4 million. My Department has completed its assessment of Limerick County Council's revised contract documents to procure the Kilmallock waste water treatment plant under a design build operate, DBO, contract and will convey its decision to the council shortly. Under the contract, the council proposes to construct a new treatment plant and ancillary works, including a new pumping station and trunk sewer to transfer flows from the existing treatment plant to the new facility.

I am aware of the importance of the new treatment plant to Kilmallock and its environs. The existing plant is operating at, and sometimes beyond, its design capacity and in doing so can be a source of pollution in the receiving waters, namely, the River Loobagh. The discharge licence for the existing treatment plant issued by the Environmental Protection Agency requires the council to commission a new plant. The council's proposals currently before my Department will alleviate these concerns and cater adequately for the needs of Kilmallock and environs for many years.

I should point out that the council's proposals do not include the upgrade and extension of the existing collection system in Kilmallock that had been a part of the Kilmallock sewerage scheme under the previous water services investment programme. Last year, local authorities, including Limerick County Council, carried out an assessment of needs to review and prioritise their proposals for new capital works in their areas. These assessments were subsequently appraised in the Department in the context of the funds available and key criteria that complemented those used by the authorities. Inevitably, through this process, certain projects that had been included under previous phases of the water services investment programme had to give way to others that are more strategically important at this time. However, the council can consider the works to the collection system for inclusion under the next phase of the programme after 2012.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the Department has reviewed the overall funding for the DBO contract and, as a result, a greater proportion of the costs will now be borne by it. This will reduce the financial burden on Limerick County Council in the delivery of a key water services project in their area.

As I stated earlier, my Department will write to Limerick County Council shortly regarding the DBO contract documents and the enhanced funding arrangements for the Kilmallock scheme. I assure the Deputy that my Department will continue to work with Limerick County Council to ensure that the Kilmallock sewerage scheme and other key water services projects in the county are advanced as far as practicable during the period of the new programme.

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