Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy Harris for giving me an opportunity to outline my position on this important subject, which clearly demonstrates the importance of water volumes and water quality for the community in general. I will continue to prioritise capital funding under my Department's water services investment programme, which is clearly underpinned by the need to address deficiencies in quality and security of water supply. This is in line with the risk-based approach that has been developed by the Environmental Protection Agency since 2008, whereby it has listed public water supplies that require corrective action on a remedial action list. Under the 2010-12 water services investment programme, some €285 million has been set aside for contracts to start for water supplies on the remedial action list. A further €28 million has been allocated under the rural water programme since 2008 for smaller works that are required. The EPA report that was published yesterday, The Provision and Quality of Drinking Water in Ireland - A Report for the Year 2010, indicates that good progress has been made in addressing supplies on the remedial action list. Of the original 339 supplies on the list, 166 have been removed with works to be completed on a further 136 by the end of 2011. Action programmes are in place for most of the remaining supplies.

I assure Deputy Harris that an action programme is in place for the Vartry supply, backed by funding from my Department. I am disappointed that the EPA has reported slow progress on addressing issues with this supply. The Vartry supply has served the citizens of parts of Dublin and Wicklow for over 140 years. It supplies 80 megalitres of potable water to 335,000 people every day. In 2007, my Department approved a preliminary report which recommended the replacement of the existing Vartry tunnel with a new 4 km tunnel on a direct line from Vartry waterworks to Callowhill, at an estimated cost of €19.4 million. A planning stage budget has been approved. The project is included in the water services investment programme as a project to advance through planning. My Department is awaiting the submission of contract documents from Dublin City Council to enable the scheme to proceed to construction.

Dublin City Council has proposed an advance works project to mitigate the risk to public health that was identified by the EPA, pending the construction of a new tunnel, by providing UV treatment at Callowhill. As part of the review of the water services investment programme earlier this year, this contract was added to the water services investment programme, as a contract to start, at a cost of €1.5 million. I understand the city council is working on detailed proposals for this project. My Department has also approved funding for a number of additional project staff for the delivery of water services capital projects in Dublin, including the Vartry tunnel replacement project. Capital investment in water services is being given a high priority by the Government, with €371 million being provided in 2012. The next stages of the action plan for the Vartry tunnel replacement and the more immediate works at Callowhill will be a priority for funding within the available resources as they are developed by Dublin City Council. I urge the council to finalise these proposals as quickly as possible.

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