Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)

I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley.

I thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to set out the current position on the Loughrea regional water supply scheme. As he is aware, the water services investment programme 2010-12 provides for the development of a comprehensive range of new water services infrastructure in County Galway. The Loughrea water treatment plant project is included in the new programme as a scheme to advance through planning. The new programme prioritises projects that target environmental compliance issues and support economic and employment growth as envisaged in the Government's policy document, Building Ireland's Smart Economy - A Framework for Sustainable Economic Revival. Galway County Council's proposals for upgrading the Loughrea water treatment plant are considered to reflect programme priorities as the supply is on the EPA's remedial action list and was, therefore, included in the programme. However, the proposed extension of the network, envisaged as part of the Loughrea regional water supply scheme, was not included in the programme as it relates solely to the expansion of the existing supply. The envisaged expansion would include the provision of the trunk main to serve Kilreekil. Galway County Council submitted a revised preliminary report on the overall Loughrea regional water supply scheme to the Department in February. As part of its ongoing assessment of the report, the Department also examined the council's most recent cost estimates, submitted in August, for its proposals to provide a water supply from Loughrea to Kilreekil. The Department will issue its decision on the report, including the cost estimates, to the council very soon. However, although upgrading the treatment plant is a prerequisite in providing a water supply for Kilreekil village, the council's proposals to connect Kilreekil with the Loughrea regional water supply scheme are not part of the project at this time.

A review process has been included as one of a number of new measures in the water services investment programme 2010-12, under which the programme will be reviewed and updated annually to allow for any re-prioritisation required. The format and timing of the review process has still to be decided by the Department, but it is anticipated that it will be conducted following one year of operation of the new programme. Although Galway County Council has already requested the Department to consider the inclusion of the trunk main to Kilreekil element of the Loughrea regional water supply scheme in the programme, the council will need to reassess its Kilreekil proposals following the Department's assessment of its revised preliminary report on the entire scheme which is due to issue shortly. In the light of this, the council can further consider the specific proposals to be submitted in the context of the review process next year.

The Minister can assure the Senator that the Department will continue to work with Galway County Council to ensure matters relating to the Loughrea regional water supply scheme are advanced as far as practicable during the period of the new programme.