Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

Senator Finucane understands the history of this case. My Department is continuing to promote investment under the national development plan for the provision of modern environmental infrastructure to support social and economic objectives. Last December the Department published the Water Services Investment Programme 2005-07, consisting of almost 900 water and sewerage schemes at different stages of development.

The programme includes funding for more than 20 schemes throughout Limerick, with a value of approximately €158 million. Towns and villages like Adare, Patrickswell, Athea, Askeaton, Foynes, Glin, Shanagolden and Kilmallock can all look forward to new 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.

Funding has also been set aside in the water services investment programme for the Dromcollogher sewerage scheme, which is being advanced as a grouped project with schemes at Hospital, Pallasgreen and Bruff. This substantial project, with an estimated cost of more than €10 million, will provide new and upgraded sewage treatment and collection networks that will allow Dromcollogher and the other areas to develop their residential and commercial sectors in an environmentally-sustainable way.

Limerick County Council originally submitted a brief for the appointment of consultants to prepare a preliminary report for the Dromcollogher scheme in June 1998, as Senator Finucane stated. The Department requested the council to submit an economic and environmental assessment of the scheme in July 1998 but this was not received. As a result, the proposal advanced no further at that stage.

The scheme was 16th on the list of water and sewerage schemes submitted by the council in February 2000 in response to my Department's request to local authorities to undertake fresh assessments of the needs for capital works in their areas and to prioritise their proposals on the basis of the assessments. The priority lists were taken into account in the framing of the Water Services Investment Programme 2000-02 announced in July 2000. Given the priority rating afforded to the scheme by the council, the level of competing demand, and the funding available, it was not possible to include the scheme in that programme. However, the scheme was approved in a later phase of programme published in May 2004, after the council revised its priority list and upped the ranking of the Dromcollogher scheme to sixth place. A revised brief for the appointment of consultants to prepare a preliminary report for the grouped project that the council subsequently submitted to the Department in April 2005 was approved in June 2005. I understand that Limerick County Council is finalising the arrangements for the appointment of the consultants for the project and that it will shortly be submitting the selected consultant's fee proposals and an economic assessment of the scheme to my Department for approval.

The Department dealt promptly with all aspects of the scheme when they were submitted for approval. I have noted the case the Senator has made for the scheme to move ahead quickly and he can rest assured that the Department will give it the earliest possible attention when the proposals needed to advance it are received from the council. The Department understands that will happen soon.

Action is being taken. I note what the Senator stated regarding the number of projects on the list. Various Members of both Houses discuss delays on projects. However, the money is being spent and progress is being made. If the Senator at any time feels that delays are caused within the Department, he should let someone in the Department know. A recent departmental circular stated that projects of less than €5 million would be subject to a fast-track streamlined system. This is a larger project which covers more than Dromcollogher and so it must go through a more rigorous process.

The Department reacts as quickly as possible. Sometimes we get blamed and sometimes we are responsible. However, on other occasions the delay is at county council level. I understand this project is due to be received soon and I hope we can progress it as quickly as possible. If Senator Finucane feels the Department is causing a delay at any stage, he should let me or the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, know.