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

The Minister would like to thank the Deputy for raising this issue and for allowing me to have the opportunity to outline the position regarding the water treatment issues in Dunmanway on his behalf.

As the Deputy will understand, the supply of public water and the provision of water services in general are matters for Uisce Éireann in the first instance. However, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has made enquiries with Uisce Éireann on the issues that have been mentioned. I am informed that Uisce Éireann is currently assessing the capital needs for the Dunmanway wastewater treatment plant and any impact that discharges may have. To ensure critical national needs are addressed, a set of investment priorities is applied, including priority being given to discharges with the greatest potential impact. The site will be considered for inclusion in the next investment cycle from 2025 to 2029.

Uisce Éireann, as a single publicly owned national water services authority, takes a strategic, nationwide approach to asset planning and investment and meeting consumer requirements.

Under Part 5 of the Water Services Act of 2013, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, is the economic regulator of Uisce Éireann and is responsible for setting the total level of revenue that Uisce Éireann can receive over a defined revenue control period. The current revenue control period, RC3, runs from 2020 to 2024. As part of the revenue control process, the CRU reviewed Uisce Éireann's capital investment plan and the approved strategic funding plan. The capital investment plan set out a clearly defined set of priorities to deliver improvements to water and wastewater services throughout Ireland where they are needed most urgently to meet our EU drinking water and wastewater obligations while supporting balanced urban and rural development.

The programme for Government commits to funding Uisce Éireann's capital investment plan for water and wastewater infrastructure on a multi-annual basis. The National Development Plan 2021 to 2030 commits almost €6 billion investment to be undertaken by Uisce Éireann in the period 2021 to 2025, of which more than €4.5 billion will be voted Exchequer funding in respect of domestic water services. The next revenue control period, RC4, will run from 2025 to 2029. As part of the process, Uisce Éireann would submit a multi-annual strategic funding plan to the Minister and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The strategic funding plan will specify the arrangements Uisce Éireann proposes to make and measures it proposes to take to meet the policy objectives of the water services policy statement and incorporating its estimated funding requirements for capital investment for the period. The strategic funding plan will be considered in the context of the ongoing update of the national development plan. The multi-annual funding is key to addressing Ireland's shortcomings in water and wastewater infrastructure and will deliver significant improvements in our public water and wastewater services, support improved water supplies right across urban and rural Ireland, and support a range of programmes delivering improved water quality in our rivers, lakes and marine areas.

I understand that the wastewater treatment system in Dunmanway is impacted by spills on the storm water overflows and there are hydraulic constraints within the existing collection network. I have been informed that Uisce Éireann is aware of the situation and is working towards solutions.

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