Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State. It is with disbelief that I raise the issue of delay in delivery of new rural group water schemes. Counties Mayo and Galway are particularly affected. When I was a Member of the Lower House, I had cause to raise this issue on numerous occasions and I had hoped I was making progress as I went along. Notwithstanding that, 235 houses in far flung areas such as Aghaloonteen, Massbrook, Tonacrick, Kilmurry, Downpatrick, Fermoyle and Carracastle have a water supply that is not fit for human consumption or any other use. These householders are crying out for assistance from the State. They live in disadvantaged rural areas, which previously came under the CLÁR scheme that was abolished in 2010. They had hoped to receive financial assistance under the scheme to help them with the construction of new group water schemes. To date, unfortunately, nothing has happened.

A commitment was given by the previous Government. For several years, Mayo County Council received €200,000 annually to progress some of the schemes. The major problem is it costs a great deal per household to deliver a scheme because of the topography and ground conditions compared to an area where ground conditions are more friendly. Last year, new rules were devised following much deliberation by the national rural group water committee and €400,000 was allocated to Mayo County Council. Not one red cent of the annual allocations has been spent. Last year, the issue was supposed to have been resolved through a new process - the rural water multi-annual programme. However, I recently learned that this issue, which comes under measure 3 of the rural water multi-annual programme, is before an expert panel again. I also understand from the local authority that whereas in previous years it would have received funding by now under the rural water programme, it has only received a small portion this year, which is funding private companies on contracts to design, build and operate schemes.They have not received all the other funding to help group water schemes cleanse water to ensure it is up to date - that is aside from new group water schemes, the category I am particularly concerned about. The local authority needs to spend from an overdraft and does not have the funding.

The people have been let down. Hard working committees in disadvantaged areas have gone out and collected money, not to pay for the water but to pay for the provision of pipe work and to retain consultants. Those involved in these schemes have spent hundreds of thousands of euro and have not been reimbursed.

With domestic households on group water schemes paying directly to Mayo County Council, the problem now arises that other people are not paying for their water. They are looking at what is happening nationally and the lack of delivery on the ground to households that are very willing to pay for their water. They understand that pipes do not just appear in the ground and that getting quality water is not just a case of putting out a bucket and getting water from the sky. These are practical people and have been greatly let down. As somebody who has represented them, I feel very let down with the lack of action.

What is to happen now? People are demoralised. The water quality is very bad. I am not talking about cryptosporidium or anything like that but about iron oxides through the water. When the tap is turned on, what comes out is red; it is not possible to wash clothes in it. Elderly people, people who are sick and people with children are affected by this. With all the controversy over the chairman designate, Mr. Joe O'Toole, I wonder if anybody is thinking about these people. Why is nobody marching on the streets for them? This has been going on for years.

I understand we came through difficult economic times, but people were led to believe that something was being progressed and yet last year the water services section of Mayo County Council went through the motions - the council did not think it was going through the motions - with two schemes, Aghaloonteen and Massbrook, thinking they would be top of the list and that each year we would see progress. However, nothing has happened. All that work that was done last year has gone by the wayside. I hope the Minister of State can give me some good news today.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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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.

Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael)
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I appreciate the Minister of State's reply but, in fairness, this was to have been resolved last year. It is evident there is a problem when €400,000 was allocated last year and €200,000 in previous years, but not a cent of it was spent on these new rural group water schemes. A lot of work was done to bring into being the two schemes I mentioned but it has all fallen by the wayside and another panel has now been put in place. I do not know how to explain it. I know the Department deals with a spectrum of types of group water scheme and that different measures are being delivered under the rural water programme. However, these new group water schemes have not been looked after and another expert panel is now looking into the matter.

The Minister of State said the Minister intends to make a decision but, at the moment, it does not seem that much is happening. I also question why the local authorities have not received their funding and why they are on overdrafts, trying to provide basic supports and services to these new rural group water schemes.

On another point, how will capital projects be funded for rural group water schemes? Will that continue to be State-funded or it is envisaged Irish Water will get involved at some stage? With regard to domestic water charges in these areas, will Irish Water or the county council collect the charges?

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Water supply and water quality are issues that are dear to the heart of the Minister, Deputy Simon Coveney, and ones on which he will take action. As the Senator knows, he is not a Minister who sits around waiting for decisions. He is only in the job less than two months and he has made it very clear that he will make announcements in the very near future in regard to these schemes, and that this will be dealt with. These schemes will not be left waiting and it will be clear exactly what will happen.

With regard to the future of group water schemes, the Senator will have seen that the expert commission on water services includes an expert on group water schemes who has done great work in this area for a long number of years. I am pleased to say the advice of the people involved in this area will be very clearly heard. Again, it was at the Minister's request that this person was on the commission. Hopefully, many of the Senator's concerns will be dealt with in the future and the particular schemes she has mentioned will be addressed shortly in the announcements from the Minister.