Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Senator for this opportunity to clarify the position regarding waste water facilities and the standards applicable to urban waste water discharges from the towns and villages she mentioned. The urban waste water treatment directive dictates specific standards of treatment for municipal waste water discharges. The level of treatment depends on the size of the population and the type of water body to which the waste water is being discharged.

Local authorities, under the general supervision of the Environmental Protection Agency, are responsible for ensuring that urban waste water receives adequate treatment prior to discharge to the aquatic environment. My Department provides funding to local authorities under the water services investment programme for the installation of waste water collection and treatment facilities that are needed for statutory compliance or other priority reasons.

As part of its remit in this area, the EPA audits local authority compliance with the regulatory requirements and publishes regular reports detailing waste water treatment arrangements for all agglomerations with populations over 500. The last such report, covering 2004 and 2005, was published in 2007 and is available in the Oireachtas Library. In addition, as part of the compliance regime, the EPA licences local authority waste water discharges and is currently dealing with a number of such licence applications from Donegal County Council.

That council's proposals to provide an upgraded waste water collection network and a new treatment plant to serve Moville and Greencastle have been included for funding in my Department's water services investment programme which covers the period 2007 to 2009. Planning on the scheme is being advanced by the council and my Department is awaiting submission of a preliminary report for approval.

In May 2008, my Department approved the council's brief for the appointment of consultants to prepare a preliminary report for waste water infrastructure for a number of locations, including Buncrana. The Buncrana scheme is also included for funding in the current investment programme. The council will submit the preliminary report in due course to my Department for approval.

Ballyliffen and Clonmany were part of a wider proposal for sewerage facilities to service a large number of towns and villages in the northern part of County Donegal. It was ranked as the lowest priority in the most recent assessment of water services needs produced by Donegal County Council. The assessment of needs informed the selection of new schemes under the current water services investment programme. Because of the low priority afforded to the proposal, of which Ballyliffen and Clonmany were components, regrettably, it was not possible to include it in the programme. The council will have an opportunity to review the priority of these schemes when the next assessment of needs is being undertaken. I take on board the questions raised by the Senator.