Michael Brennan (Progressive Democrats)
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I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science, Deputy de Valera, to the House. I wish to ask about the current situation on the Patrickswell-Adare sewerage scheme. I acknowledge the immense investment by the Government through the Water Services Investment Programme 2004-06. We have seen major developments in Limerick city regarding the main drainage scheme, from whose treatment works the Patrickswell-Adare scheme will benefit under the programme for 2004 to 2006, scheduled for commencement in 2005. I understand that great delays have been caused by Limerick County Council and the Department through their appointment of consultants to move the scheme forward regarding the agreement of a fee proposal. While Limerick County Council has approved development plans for Patrickswell and Adare, it is vitally important that the scheme come on stream on time. For that to happen, it is very important that the clearance to go to tender be given very soon. I ask the Minister to take into consideration the importance of such services to allow the towns in question to achieve their full potential over the next five years.

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator for raising this matter on the Adjournment and apologise for the absence of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, who cannot be here.

The provision of modern environmental infrastructure to support social and economic objectives has been a major focus of Department spending over the past few years. There has been unprecedented investment by the Department under the national development plan in water and sewerage schemes, which have made a key contribution to the economic growth that has benefited every part of Ireland. The current high level of investment in new infrastructure will continue. Last May, the Department published the water services investment programme for 2004 to 2006, consisting of 869 schemes at different stages of development, with a total investment value of €5 billion. The total allocation to Limerick under the programme comes to over €142 million, extending to some 22 individual schemes. Among those are major sewerage projects for Limerick city, Athea, Askeaton, Foynes, Shanagolden, Glin, Kilmallock, Dromcollogher, Hospital, Pallasgreen and Bruff.

The programme also includes major water supply schemes such as the upgrading of the Clareville water treatment plant, the provision of trunk water mains to serve Patrickswell, Adare, Croom, Pallasgreen and Oola and extensions and improvements to the Shannon Estuary water supply scheme. Funding has also been provided under the serviced land initiative to bring additional residential sites on stream as rapidly as possible to meet housing needs at a number of locations around the county. It is clear from all this that a very large number of towns and villages in Limerick are directly benefiting from the drive to bring our water and sewerage infrastructure up to a modern standard. The Senator will be glad to know that Adare and Patrickswell are very much part of that positive picture as far as their sewerage schemes are concerned.

The Department has approved Limerick County Council's brief for the appointment of consultants to prepare detailed design and contract documents for both the Adare and Patrickswell sewerage schemes, which are being advanced as a grouped project. We are in touch with the council regarding its fee proposals for the consultants' appointment. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and I are as anxious as the Senator to see the scheme make progress as quickly as possible and he can be assured that the Department will conclude its examination of the fees issue at an early date. It will then be a matter for the council to finalise contract documents on which tenders will be invited from contractors for the construction of the two schemes.

The Minister is also very happy to confirm that the necessary funding for the schemes has been allocated in the Department's water services investment programme, which has a 2005 start scheduled in both cases. I assure the Senator that the Minister has listened carefully to what he has said and that his Department will do everything possible to facilitate commencement of the work on schedule.