Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator O'Reilly for bringing this important matter to my attention and for the opportunity to address this topic. In recent years, my Department has invested significantly in rural water and waste water infrastructure to support our rural towns and villages. As the Senator said, it is crucially important for quality of life measures and to enhance vibrancy within rural communities and areas so that people there can have a good quality of life. To live, raise a family and work, it is essential that they have proper infrastructure to enable this.

Through non-Uisce Éireann investment in rural water infrastructure under the national development plan, some €50 million has been committed to specific funding measures for the provision of waste water collection and treatment needs for villages without access to public water services. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, launched this funding scheme and invited local authorities to make applications for funding for priority projects in their areas.

The scheme was designed to support demonstration projects that would inform a longer-term, strategic approach to the issue of waste water infrastructure in small villages. Earlier this year, having considered recommendations received from the independent expert panel tasked with critically assessing the applications received, funding of more than €45 million was approved for a number of demonstration projects across the country.In tandem with that, we recently made improvements in respect of domestic wastewater treatment systems, specifically septic tank grants. Maximum values have increased from €5,000 to €12,000. We have also removed the qualifying condition that the septic tank must be registered with the local authority before its improvement. However, there are concerns about the lottery system of inspections in some local authorities. We have introduced specific measures in respect of prioritised areas of action, PAAs, and high-status objective catchment areas so that septic tanks that are dysfunctional and have quality issues can be reported to local authorities and subsequently supported.

I am sure that rural water schemes are crucial in Cavan and Monaghan. We will soon announce the multi-annual rural water programme, which will support schemes in being fit for purpose. It will ensure that the quality of schemes’ drinking water is enhanced and maintenance is delivered through various subsidies. It will also ensure that many schemes are taken in charge via Uisce Éireann measures or amalgamations. The Minister is progressing these projects. More than €45 million was provided for demonstration projects. I am sure that the programme of investment will again be aimed towards smaller towns that would not otherwise be provided Uisce Éireann capital investment. We need to prioritise those areas.