Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Conway for raising this issue and providing me with the opportunity to address the matter. Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has had statutory responsibility for all aspects of public water services planning, delivery and operation at a national, regional and local level. As part of budget 2021, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage secured funding of over €1.4 billion to support water services. This includes €1.3 billion in respect of domestic water services provisioned by Irish Water.

The overall investment will deliver significant improvement in our public water and waste water services, support improved water supplies across Ireland, including rural Ireland, and support a range of programmes delivering improved water quality in our rivers, lakes and marine areas. The programme for Government commits to supporting the take-up of Irish Water's small towns and villages growth programme, which is intended to provide water and waste water growth capacity in smaller settlements, which would not otherwise be provided for in the capital investment programme.

It should be noted that Irish Water is subject to independent economic regulation by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, which determines the revenue required by Irish Water to meet its operating and capital costs and ensure it operates in an efficient manner in delivering its services to customers. Therefore, Irish Water brought forward proposals for a small towns and villages growth programme, as part of the capital investment programme for 2020 to 2024, to the CRU for consideration. The programme is intended to support a number of the national policy objectives and national strategic outcomes under the national planning framework. I understand from Irish Water that an allocation of €97.5 million for this programme was approved by the CRU. I also understand that projects that are now commencing design and investment under the programme will deliver change in the coming years.

Irish Water is working with local authorities across the country in ensuring that investment supports the growth of identified settlements where these are prioritised in line with local authority development plans. Irish Water has informed me that Clare County Council has applied for funding under the small towns and villages growth programme in relation to Doonbeg. This application is under review. In addition to the major investment delivered by Irish Water, my Department also funds rural water investment under the multi-annual rural water programme. This programme supports investment in community-based group schemes, as well as providing supports for improvement of wells and septic tanks.The current investment programme is based on recommendations from the working group established in April 2018 to conduct a review of rural water services. The working group has a two-strand approach of consideration. Strand one considered the composition and distribution of funding under the rural water programme while strand two is considering the long-term future resourcing of rural Ireland and water supply generally.

The issue of wastewater infrastructure in villages not serviced by Irish Water is a matter for the working group, which it will consider as part of its work. The Department expects a further report from this group in 2021. I again wish to acknowledge Senator Conway and his interest in rural Ireland and, in particular, rural infrastructure in County Clare. I was not aware of the meeting yesterday with the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, but I will raise it. Obviously, it is important that our towns and villages are given the opportunity to grow. A key component of that is the infrastructure Senator Conway rightly points out is needed in a rural area. I will follow up on that meeting and we will try our best to prioritise it in the new year.