Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

I recently raised on the Adjournment the issue of group sewerage scheme grants being raised to the level of group water scheme grants and am delighted to see this matter before the House. The Minister of State mentioned this in his contribution, a pilot project has been conducted and a valuation completed but I am sorry that it will be some months before it is accepted because a better grant for group sewerage schemes would mean a better uptake. If it takes six months to be accepted it will be even longer before people complete their applications. If the grant is to be improved we should make those who could apply as part of a group sewerage scheme aware of this fact in the interim so they can consider their applications. In this way applications will be ready for submission by the time the scheme is improved, which will limit time lag.

I commend the plans to improve water quality under the rural water programme. The programme contains measures to address deficiencies in group water schemes, small public water and sewerage schemes and private supplies where no other supply is available. I echo the comments of others regarding the people who have volunteered their time to this programme around the country. There is a great sense of ownership that has almost reached the point that people do not want to return groups schemes to councils because they feel they can do a better job. The programme is essential to our goal of ensuring the highest quality of water in rural areas.

The primary focus of the 2007 rural water programme was on measures to eliminate water quality deficiencies in group water schemes with private sources. I know from personal experience interacting with people in Donegal that this is working. These schemes have been identified by the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, as failing to meet mandatory drinking water standards. Water is a fundamental part of our lives and we should expect highly competent water systems with standards on a par with EU drinking water standards. I spent a year in Nigeria and understand the difficulties a lack of drinking water can present. Galway has recently experienced serious problems in this regard that forced people to boil, cool and filter water.

The basic requirement for water quality is first and foremost the existence of safe drinking water standards. Some 41% of total programme funding has been allocated to alleviate these water quality deficiencies and this highlights the direct approach of the programme to raising standards in water quality deficiencies.

The report Water Quality in Ireland 2006, published by the EPA, stresses the need for improvement in water quality. The challenge we face is to have all waters, both surface and groundwater, in good or higher status by 2015 under the water framework directive, WFD, 2000/60/EC. I am glad the EU is acting as big brother on standards and, while I appreciate Ireland does not need this approach, it is important that standards exist because they encourage people to strive for them. In my home town there is neither a sewerage scheme nor a water supply and I am delighted that the EU directives ensure towns with a population of more than 1,500 must meet certain standards. This will drive the advancement of water and sewerage in my area.

The recorded annual incremental improvement in surface water quality, based on that occurring between 2005 and 2006 and for the three year period since 2004, would, if maintained, leave Ireland potentially falling short of the water framework directive target in the time left for remediation. A recent study concluded that if current land uses continue unchanged, it will be very difficult to meet the demands of the water framework directive.

In March 2007 a €142 million spending plan on rural water supplies was announced, surpassing the 2006 figure by 9% and representing an investment in rural water 12 times greater than that of 1997. In 2007 the rural water treatment programme financed the completion of new water treatment plants for 77 schemes serving 16,200 households nationally. These, along with other recently finished schemes, will solve water quality issues for more than 30,000 rural households that can now look forward to having in place first rate water supplies.

Start-up funding is provided in the programme for 35 new treatment plants that will accommodate 10,400 households in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon as part of a merger of more than 100 group schemes in the west and north west. Funding has been also allocated under this year's programme to allow 196 group water schemes, serving more than 16,000 houses, to be taken over by county councils. A further 35 schemes, serving up to 4,400 houses, have been provided to secure new connections from local authority public water supply networks. Such water schemes represent the serious commitment of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley, to aid a unified effort to meet water quality standards.

The increased expenditure allocations for the rural water programme, funded under the national development plan, NDP, this year mark a progressive step in the area of water quality in Ireland. Expenditure allocations for new water treatment plants for group schemes with private sources is up €6 million compared to the 2006 figure. Financial allocations to 196 group water schemes being taken over by local authorities have increased by 46% on last year. I commend the councils on the tremendous work they are doing in this regard.

The most recent European Environment Agency report in 2005 stated, regarding Ireland's perspective on water quality, that "eutrophication of rivers, lakes and tidal waters continues to be the main threat to surface waters with agricultural run-off and municipal discharges being the key contributors". The EPA's report on water quality, published this year, echoes these sentiments and highlights the problem of eutrophication of waters and the urgent need to address the issue. In 2006 there were 34 reported fish kills compared to 45 the previous year. This annual rate, albeit reduced compared to some previous years, is unacceptably high as each fish kill represents catastrophic environmental disturbance to aquatic life. The consequence of poor water quality is such disturbance to aquatic life and greatly affects the wider community. It is not only run-off, however, that pollutes rivers and the Foyle is an example of this. Raw sewage is still entering the Foyle, the matter is not being progressed and this must end. River pollution from agricultural sources, whether deliberate or accidental, is being addressed and perpetrators are being penalised under the Rural Environmental Protection Scheme, REPS. However, we must ensure we continue with this programme and deliver these schemes even when a council, local authority or the national Government presides over the pumping of raw sewage into rivers.