Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

This amendment to section 30(1)(b) provides that the Minister shall have overall responsibility inter alia for the planning and supervision of investment programmes for the provision of water services. The amendment is necessary because as currently drafted, the wording of paragraph (b) could be interpreted so as to involve the Minister in day to day supervision of works projects including maintenance projects. This is not intended as such matters will be the responsibility of a water services authority. The amendment reflects current practice in accordance with which the Minister provides funding for water services projects while the decision to have the work undertaken, for instance to engage consultants, sign contracts and so on resides with the relevant sanitary authority. Relevant investment programmes at present would be the water services investment programme, the water conservation sub-programme of that programme and the rural water programme.