Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising the issue. It is clear that excellent work is done by group water schemes. There has been pent-up demand for some years due to the lack of investment owing to economic circumstances. Hopefully, we are in a better place now to try to tackle that and we hope to get that money out to them to be spent more quickly.

I am speaking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Coveney. I am well aware of the excellent work done by the group water scheme and the enormous commitment of local communities in setting up group water schemes. There is a pent-up demand that needs to be addressed and we need to find ways to channel the money to them.

Since 2000, my Department has, under its rural water programme, provided over €810 million towards the capital costs of providing and improving group water schemes. Financial assistance, in the form of subsidies, has also been provided towards the subsequent running and operational costs of these schemes in providing water for domestic use. Nevertheless, further work is required and there is a need for continuing investment in the group water scheme sector so as to ensure that the drinking water provided complies with the standards set at both EU and national level.

I appreciate that there are particular difficulties in setting up some new group water schemes where the financial viability of the scheme is questionable with schemes in the previous CLÁR-funded areas being a case in point. Earlier this year, a new multiannual approach to the funding of group water schemes for 2016 and beyond under the rural water programme was introduced. This will lead to the development of appropriate prioritised lists of schemes for funding both in 2016 and in future years. One of the measures in this programme will support social and economic development, and living standards in towns and villages and their hinterlands by providing new group water schemes in areas where a public scheme and private wells are not a viable option. This measure is aimed at providing assistance towards some of those schemes which Senator Mulherin mentioned. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, intends to make a decision on the future funding of these and other schemes shortly.

Arising from the Government’s commitment to suspend domestic water charges for a period of nine months, and to restore group water scheme subsidy levels to those that pertained prior to the introduction of charges so as to ensure equity of treatment with households on public water supplies, the subsidies for those on group water schemes will be restored to their pre-2015 levels.This is being implemented from 1 July 2016 and it will be for the period from then until 31 March 2017 so as to coincide with the suspension of water charges. These subsidies benefit those domestic consumers on group water schemes with financial assistance towards their running costs.

While this may not be the answer the Senator wants, I believe there will be a decision quite soon.