Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

I thank Senator Kitt for raising this issue. My colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, regrets that he is unable to be present to respond to the motion.

The water services investment programme 2005-07, published by the Minister in December 2005, includes some 60 major water and sewerage schemes, with a value of more than €451 million, for Galway. I am pleased to confirm that the Glenamaddy sewerage scheme is one of these schemes and that it is scheduled for a 2007 start in the investment programme. The funding has been allocated to build the scheme and it will be able to proceed to construction when the planning and procurement procedures have been completed.

The current position is that Galway County Council's preliminary report and water services pricing policy report for the scheme are being examined by the Department. I am assured that a response will issue to the council in the near future. Approval of the preliminary report will allow the council to draw up contract documents — a major step forward towards the construction phase.

As the cost of the scheme is under €5 million it will benefit from the more streamlined procurement procedures the Minister introduced earlier this year to speed up progress with the many water and sewerage schemes planned throughout the country. When the preliminary report has been approved, the council will be free to proceed to construction with the collection system, without any further reference to the Department. The new wastewater treatment plant is being built as a public private partnership. The successful bidder will design and build the plant and then operate it for the council for a period of 20 years. This will mean the most up-to-date technology will be used and the highest quality wastewater treatment standards will prevail at all times.

The scheme is important for the local community. It will ensure that current problems with sewage disposal will be eliminated, that there will be capacity to service new development and that environmental standards will be preserved and improved for the benefit of the town and its residents.

The Senator may rest assured that the Minister is keen to see the scheme get under way quickly and that the necessary funding is available in his department for Galway County Council to draw down as soon as it is needed. The Minister and his Department will do everything they can to ensure that there are no unnecessary delays with the project and that this important new infrastructure is delivered to the people of Glenamaddy as quickly as possible.