Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will try to answer some of the questions raised by the Deputy. I do not have all of the details he has asked for because some of the issues he has raised are different from what was initially proposed to be discussed. I have no problem in getting further information for the Deputy and if we have to organise a meeting with the Deputy, the Department and Irish Water I will be happy to facilitate it. We are an open book on this issue.

The greater Dublin drainage project involves the development of a new regional wastewater treatment facility at Clonshaugh and associated drainage infrastructure to serve the growing population of the north Dublin area. The current estimated cost of delivering the project is in the region of €500 million over the full life cycle of the project, including the planning stage. I do not have a breakdown of all the costs for the Deputy; I know he wanted the expenditure for the project so far, including planning costs. I do not have them, but I can try and get them at a later stage.

Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level. Irish Water, as a single national water services authority, takes a strategic, nationwide approach to asset planning and investment and meeting customer requirements. Irish Water delivers its services in accordance with its water services strategic plan published in October 2015. This sets out a high-level strategy over 25 years to ensure the provision of clean, safe drinking water, effective management of wastewater, environmental protection and support for economic and social development. The first national water services policy statement, prepared in line with the Water Services Acts, which the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, launched on 21 May 2018, outlines a clear direction to strategic planning and decision making on water and wastewater services in Ireland. It identifies key policy objectives and priorities for the delivery of water and wastewater services in Ireland over the period to 2025. It provides the context within which necessary funding and investment plans by Irish Water are framed and agreed.

On 7 November 2018, the Minister, Deputy Murphy, approved Irish Water’s strategic funding plan for 2019 to 2024 which sets out Irish Water’s multi-annual strategic funding requirement of €11 billion to 2024. This comprises €6.1 billion investment in infrastructure and assets and €4.9 billion in operating costs. This significant multi-billion euro investment programme is to ensure the continued operation, repair and upgrading of the country’s water and wastewater infrastructure to support social and economic development across the State and continued care of the water environment.

Irish Water's strategic funding plan is also subject to economic regulatory review by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, which will consider the efficiency of its investment proposals. The strategic funding plan sets out the financial plan for capital investments to support Irish Water’s strategic objectives in order to deliver improvements to water services. I understand from Irish Water that it made an application for strategic infrastructure development for the greater Dublin drainage project to An Bord Pleanála on 20 June 2018. An Bord Pleanála then held a period of statutory public consultation and it is anticipated that the board will commence an oral hearing on the project shortly. I gather that the Deputy has been involved in that process and is participating fully on that.

The Deputy references a cost-benefit analysis. I assume that will be part of an oral hearing discussion. Generally, when these projects are brought forward, alternative options have to be considered. Costs and environmental impacts are considered in that, so I imagine that issue will be dealt with there. I will certainly pursue that further for the Deputy in the meantime and provide any extra information I can on that too.

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