Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, I thank Deputy Michael Healy-Rae for raising this important issue and providing me with the opportunity to address the matter.

The programme for Government supports the uptake of Uisce Éireann's small towns and villages growth programme 2020-2024. The programme provides water and wastewater growth capacity in smaller settlements that would otherwise not be provided for in Uisce Éireann’s capital investment plan.

I understand that funding of almost €100 million has been approved by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities for the programme. Across the country, Uisce Éireann is working with local authorities to ensure that the investment is used to support the growth of identified settlements, as prioritised in local authority development plans. For example, in County Kerry, as part of the programme, a new wastewater treatment plant is to be built in Fenit and Knightstown wastewater treatment plant is to be upgraded.

In addition to the work ongoing with Uisce Éireann, the Department's multi-annual rural water programme, using Exchequer funding, is also delivering improvements to water services, including wastewater, in areas of rural Ireland without public water services.

On 28 April 2022, the Minister announced funding for a new measure under the multi-annual rural water programme for the wastewater collection and treatment needs of villages and settlements that do not have access to public waste-water services. An allocation of €50 million has been committed for this specific measure under the national development plan.

The principal aim of the measure is to address environmental and public health issues in identified locations. The process involves local authorities, working with communities and other stakeholders, to progressively improve the wastewater infrastructure needs of rural villages or settlements in parts of rural Ireland not currently serviced by Uisce Éireann. The aim is to ensure that projects which might otherwise not be constructed by Uisce Éireann for some time, will be developed now, and in so doing to help to make the village or settlement a better and more attractive place to live. Using a demonstration project model approach under this funding stream, will also assist in the development of appropriate longer-term strategies and protocols that will better inform future funding needs in this area.

In September 2022, the local authorities submitted requests for funding for specific priority projects in their respective areas. An independent expert panel has evaluated each application and the Minister expects to be in a position to announce successful projects soon. It was a matter for Kerry County Council to decide which villages or settlements within its functional area met the criteria for funding under the measure and to make an application. Applications for Beaufort and Spa were received from Kerry County Council.

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