Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this important issue and the Minister of State for responding. Since I became a Member of this House in 1997, I have consistently raised the need to upgrade the sewerage scheme in Adare, County Limerick. The development of the village and community is severely restricted by the condition of the sewerage scheme which is overloaded. There are great opportunities for residential and tourist development in the village but these are being frustrated and restricted. Any investors wishing to complete developments have been advised that the sewage disposal system prevents such investment.

Adare is an extremely attractive village, perhaps the most beautiful in Ireland, but its vibrant tourism industry is being restricted. Any proposals to improve the tourist product of Adare and the opening up of further tourist attractions are being totally discouraged as promoters are advised that planning permission cannot be considered owing to the existing sewerage scheme's limitations. Proposals to extend a local hotel have been frustrated. The hotel is anxious to increase its capacity in terms of the number of bedrooms but this is being discouraged by the planning authority.

A new town development plan is being drawn up by Limerick County Council. This plan will be sensitive and will complement the image and atmosphere of the village. If carried out, it will improve the commerce of the town and enhance local service providers. It will be a much better village as a result. An improved sewerage scheme is vital in achieving these objectives.

Adare is served by a combined sewerage scheme constructed in 1914. The existing sewage treatment works were constructed in 1946 to serve a population of 600 persons. It now serves a population of 1,000, however, and discharges poorly treated sewage into the River Maigue. The sewerage works provide little treatment and they discharge almost raw sewage into the river. The fisheries board is very concerned about this and has informed Limerick County Council on numerous occasions that it could be prosecuted. The only saving factor is that the River Maigue is tidal in this area and quickly removes sewage from the discharge area.

The history of sewerage improvement works goes back 30 years. In December 1975, the existing system was surveyed and a proposal for adequate sewerage facilities was made. In October 1978, a report was prepared by the council's consulting engineers. Their report was completed in 1979, considered by a meeting of Limerick County Council in that year and subsequently sent to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for approval in May 1979.

The council received approval for the preparation of contract documents for the scheme in early December 1981. The tenders for site investigation were submitted to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for approval but such approval was not forthcoming. This preliminary report went out of date, regardless of all the work done, with the passage of time. In July 1986, in the meantime, land was acquired for sewage treatment works and wayleave and rights of way were obtained. In November 1992, contract documents for subsoil investigation were forwarded to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for technical assistance and in February 1993, a certificate of planning was submitted to the Department. The plan was costed in June 1993 at £3.73 million.

In 1998, Limerick County Council informed me that it was proposed to engage consultants to revise and update the reports for re-submission to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. I was also informed that any of the original route maps of this scheme would be considered out of date. I was informed in November 2000 that the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government had given approval to progress planning of the scheme and that the council was in the process of appointing consulting engineers to update the 1978 preliminary report of the scheme, which was substantially revised in 1985. I was further informed that the revised preliminary report would be completed by 2001.

On 26 January 2005, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, informed me in this House that the Patrickswell-Adare sewerage scheme would commence construction in 2005. This did not happen and the Minister failed to honour his promise. On 9 March 2004, the former Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Cullen, informed me that the Adare sewerage scheme was approved for construction under his Department's water services investment programme 2003-2005. This Minister also failed to honour his commitment.

On 3 February 2003 the Minister, Deputy Cullen, informed me in this House that Adare sewerage scheme would commence construction in 2003 and that the revised preliminary report was approved in July 2002, yet nothing happened. Following several telephone calls, I was informed by Limerick County Council today that contract documents have been in the process for 12 months and are due to be ready by Easter. If the Minister of State advises me that a sewerage scheme will be constructed in Adare this year, he will understand I might be sceptical about that. Nevertheless, I await his reply and, hopefully, his commitment to ensuring that it is done.

With regard to the provision of sewerage schemes, the Government has failed west Limerick. Adare, Patrickswell, Askeaton, Glin, Shanagolden, Foynes, Athea, Dromcollogher and Kildimo, all in urgent need of upgraded sewerage schemes, yet none has been provided.

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Having listened to the Deputy, the phrase "Oh ye of little faith . . ." from the Bible comes to mind.

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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I have little faith that this will happen. Would the Minister of State blame me for that?

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I am delighted to have this opportunity, on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, to reply to the matter raised by the Deputy.

The Department's water services investment programme 2005-07, which was published in December 2005, includes funding for more than 20 schemes throughout Limerick. Towns and villages such as Athea, Askeaton, Foynes, Glin, Shanagolden, Kilmallock, Dromcollogher, Hospital, Pallasgreen and Bruff can look forward to new or upgraded sewerage schemes.

Many areas will also benefit from improved water supplies from the major upgrade planned for the Clareville water treatment plant, improvements to the Shannon Estuary water supply scheme and extensions of the Limerick county trunk water mains. In total, almost €158 million has been allocated under the programme for water and sewerage schemes in Limerick.

With regard to Adare, the Minister, Deputy Roche, is pleased that the Adare-Patrickswell sewerage scheme is approved to commence construction in 2006 in the water services investment programme at a cost of over €9 million.

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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This is the fourth year in succession I have heard that.

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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The two locations have been combined into a single project to avail of the economic benefits offered by the completion of the Limerick main drainage treatment plant at Bunlickey. Pumping effluent from both locations to Bunlickey will avoid the more costly option of either upgrading the existing obsolete treatment plants or constructing new replacements. It means less running costs for Limerick County Council in the long term.

Limerick County Council received approval from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government last year to appoint engineering consultants to prepare contract documents for the scheme. The Minister understands that the consultants are now working on the contract documents and that the council has received tenders for site investigations. The results of these investigations are an essential component of the contract documents on which contractors base their prices for the construction of the scheme. In addition, approval has issued to the council's proposals to procure the scheme on the basis of a conventional type contract rather than as a design-build-operate contract.

The scheme is needed to facilitate development in both areas and the Minister understands that some developers had contacted the county council with proposals they considered would help to advance the works more quickly. It would be a matter for the council, taking into account public procurement roles and value for money issues, to decide on the merits of such proposals and, if it decided to proceed with them, to submit the details to the Department for approval. The Department would not stand in the way of any approach that would help to expedite the scheme, subject to the necessary safeguards I mentioned.

The Minister, Deputy Roche, can assure the Deputy that when the council's contract documents are submitted to his Department for approval they will be given early attention. The necessary funding has been allocated for the scheme in the Department's water services investment programme and, like the Deputy, we are anxious to see work on the scheme start at the earliest possible date.

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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The Minister gave a similar reply in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I am sure the Deputy has influence with his local authority. The ball is in its court at present.

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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The Minister of State is saying the ball is in the local authority's court.