David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I asked the Minister a question last month about the amount of funding that Irish Water has received and he told me it received €1.4 billion. I am interested to know the amount of this funding that has been drawn down to date this year by Irish Water, his expectations for the drawing down of further funding by Irish Water and a breakdown of same, and to give us an idea of where the money is going.

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Deputy Malcolm Noonan):Since 1 January 2014 Irish Water has had statutory responsibility for all aspects of water service planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. The prioritisation and progression of individual projects is a matter for determination by Irish Water.

As part of budget 2021, funding of over €1.4 billion was secured to support water services. This overall investment will deliver significant improvements in our public water and waste water services, support improved water supplies right across the island, including rural Ireland, and support a range of programmes delivering improved water quality in our rivers, lakes and marine areas.

Over €1.3 billion in voted Exchequer funding is to be provided to Irish Water in respect of domestic water service provision in 2021 of which €692 million is capital funding and €614 million is current. By the end of April 2021 Irish Water has drawn down €223.25 million of which €153.5 million relates to current funding and €69.75 million relates to capital funding.

I expect that Irish water will draw down this full provision in 2021 to continue its investment to provide clean, safe drinking water to customers, to treat and return waste water to the environment and improve water quality in our river catchments and our estuaries.

See this speech in context