Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Senator for the opportunity to clarify the position on the important Athlone sewerage scheme. The scheme has been approved for funding under the Department's water services investment programme for the period 2007 to 2009 at an estimated cost of €15 million. The scheme is one of a total of 19 water services projects being progressed in County Westmeath at present with the support of unprecedented Exchequer funding from the Department under the national development plan. The current programme, which the Minister announced last September, allows for the investment of €219 million in water and sewerage schemes in County Westmeath over the next few years. A copy of the programme is available in the Oireachtas Library.

The range of new water and sewerage schemes planned and in progress for Westmeath provides strong evidence of the Government's determination to safeguard the environment, while at the same time making provision for new jobs and new development and all the other requirements of a successful economy, including residential activity.

The midlands linked gateway of Athlone-Tullamore-Mullingar is one of the nine gateways in the national spatial strategy. Linking the three strong midland towns will ensure they work in partnership to promote economic and social development in the midlands region. The alignment of the National Development Plan 2007-2013 with the principles and objectives of the national spatial strategy places the strategy at the heart of future investment decisions by Departments and agencies.

The €15 million Athlone sewerage scheme involves a major expansion and overhaul of the wastewater treatment plant and the collection network around the town. The objective is to facilitate economic growth and expansion. The scheme clearly underlines the key role envisaged for Athlone as a central element of the midland gateway under the national spatial strategy. As well as supporting development and economic expansion, it also provides for a range of environmental improvements, including the elimination of discharges into the marina, reduced frequency of storm overflows to the Shannon itself and the rehabilitation of existing sewers. There will be a large increase in the capacity of the wastewater treatment plant, which currently deals with a load in excess of 20,000 population equivalent to 40,000 population equivalent.

The preliminary report for the scheme, which sets out the design parameters and objectives of the project, together with a brief for the appointment of consultants for the procurement and construction stages, have been submitted to the Department by Westmeath County Council. The Department will be responding to the council very shortly. The objective of the response will be to guide the council on how to advance the scheme through the remaining stages with the least possible delay. In that context, it is apparent that the treatment plant element of the project will require an environmental impact assessment. The Department will work with the council to allow the EIS process and other necessary preparatory work on the scheme to proceed in parallel with a view to optimising progress towards the tender and construction phases. The necessary funding is allocated for draw-down by the council as required.

I can assure the Senator that the Minister is equally anxious to see the scheme go to construction and completion quickly and the Department will be doing everything it can to facilitate this. However, the Senator will also appreciate that multi-million euro projects that are being funded by the taxpayer must proceed through the proper planning and development processes to ensure that they meet their intended objectives, that they are designed and constructed in an environmentally acceptable and economical manner and that they produce treated wastewater or drinking water, as the case may be, to a standard that meets national and EU requirements.

I fully agree that this project is vitally important for the development of Athlone. The Senator will be aware that the Department has already funded works to upgrade the existing water treatment plant at Athlone at an estimated cost of €4.2 million. These works, which will be finalised in the coming weeks, provide for increased water treatment capacity in the town. The status of Athlone as part of the midland linked gateway is well understood and the Department will continue to work closely with Westmeath County Council to ensure that the sewerage scheme is also delivered as soon as possible.