Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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I also welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, to the House.

As the Minister will be aware, and I am sure it is the same in his own county, there is a huge need for investment in local wastewater infrastructure in Galway and in many counties around the country. Indeed, from analysis done by a former senior engineer in Galway County Council, Connacht has a greater need than many other areas in the context of previous investment. In some ways, that is not surprising. It presents an opportunity to focus investment where needed. For example, figures provided in 2017 show that of 1,103 wastewater treatment plants nationally, Connacht had 165, Munster had 408, Ulster - that is, the three counties in the Republic - had 146 and Leinster had 384. As a result, there is a huge need for this infrastructure in Connacht.

I am sure the Minister of State can list off many towns and villages in Mayo that have specific needs. I can do so in respect of Galway. For example, in my area in west Galway, there are Cill Rónán, Inis Oírr, Corr na Móna, Tully, Tully Cross, Cleggan, Claddaghduff, Inishbofin, Rosscahill, Carna and Cill Chiaráin. The people in all of these places could say that they have legitimate claims to schemes. There are other schemes that are in development, such as the one at Roundstone. The scheme relating to Spiddal is the subject of investment.There has been significant investment by Irish Water in areas over the last decade, including in Oughterard, Claregalway, Milltown, Clonbur, Leenane and Letterfrack, to name a few, and that has particularly improved water quality in the Corrib and on the coast.

The programme for Government initiated a pilot scheme for wastewater investment and Galway County Council chose Clarinbridge and Craughwell for consideration under that scheme. Other local authorities chose other locations and the scheme allowed for two per county. Without wanting to take from any other county, County Galway is the second largest county and Mayo is also a considerable size, as are other counties. I think there is a clear need for greater investment in those that have greatest need, in particular the larger counties. With the level of surplus that we have at the moment, giving extra funding to local authorities for wastewater plants is something the Minister could consider. A case could also be made that Galway has four offshore islands and investment in one of those should be considered by the Minister, as well as the pilot scheme, a point I have referenced in the past.

Craughwell and Clarinbridge are substantial towns as they are. When I started first in the county council, there were plans for Craughwell and Clarinbridge was being rolled into a larger scheme, but these did not progress. There is now a clear need to connect up the existing housing estates, schools and businesses in the community, but also to allow for whatever level of expansion is needed to provide for young people up and down the country. There is a clear need for investment and I hope that both Clarinbridge and Craughwell will be chosen in any pilot, and also that consideration will be given to one of the offshore islands as part of the investment in Galway. As I said, there is sufficient funding in the coffers at the moment to allow local authorities to progress projects.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I am taking this debate on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Although I have been in the House on a number of occasions in recent months, this is my first occasion to be here with you in the Chair, a Chathaoirligh. I congratulate you on your election and wish you success for your term, however long it may be.

On behalf of the Minister, I thank the Senator for raising this issue. As he knows, the Department builds its water services strategic policy and infrastructure delivery programmes around Project Ireland 2040, the water services policy statement 2018-2025 and the river basin management plan. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage's multi-annual rural water programme, which uses Exchequer funding, is delivering improvements to water services, including wastewater, in areas of rural Ireland without public water services, as the Senator has referenced. The strategic objective of this multi-annual programme is, through its various funding measures, to improve the quality, reliability and efficiency of water services for rural dwellers where Irish Water water services are not available.

In April 2022, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, launched a new scheme for the wastewater collection and treatment needs of villages and settlements without access to public wastewater services. The principal aim of this new measure is to address environmental and public health issues in locations of need across the country on a prioritised basis. An allocation of €50 million has been committed under the national development plan for the new measure. The first round of funding is intended to follow a demonstration project model approach to allow for the development of appropriate longer term strategies and protocols, and to better inform future funding needs for the progressive development of public wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure in villages and settlements that are currently without those services, many of which have been referred to by the Senator.

All rural local authorities were asked to submit their applications for funding for a maximum of two priority locations. The deadline was 15 September 2022 and, as Senator Kyne said, Galway County Council submitted applications for Craughwell and Clarinbridge. Since then, an independent expert panel has been tasked with evaluating each of the applications received and will make recommendations to the Minister on funding. The panel is independently chaired.Its membership includes the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, and representatives from Uisce Éireann. In addition to providing an expert perspective, the panel brings independence, openness and transparency to the bids evaluation process. The panel has evaluated all aspects of valid applications and based on a report from the panel, a decision on funding will be made by the Minister shortly. Local authorities will then be notified of the outcome of their applications.

The rural water programme provides important funding for water services to areas of rural Ireland where Uisce Éireann water services are not available. The Government is committed to continuing to support this programme. I thank the Senator for his remarks and I will refer his remarks to the Minister for his consideration.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Before I call on Senator Kyne, I welcome the students from Kilmessan school in County Meath to the Visitors Gallery and to Leinster House. They should enjoy the last few weeks of school. In keeping with their visit to Leinster House, I decree a no homework day for them today.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for the reply. I welcome the fact the decision on funding will be made by the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, shortly. The local authorities will be relieved to see progress on that. I also welcome the fact there is an independent panel. I note that my colleague, Councillor PJ Murphy, is hugely interested in the progress of these applications in Craughwell and in Clarinbridge. Will the Minister of State convey the view that with the level of surpluses we have at the moment, local authorities should get the benefit of additional funding? As I said, there is a huge list and I listed some of those in Galway West alone. There is another page relating to Galway East and the Minister of State will have some 20 or 30 in Mayo as well. In terms of improving the environment locally, and as the Minister of State knows the Clarinbridge oyster is famous, anything that can improve water quality would be beneficial in terms of the future expansion of areas around Galway city and it would take pressure off certain areas where there is a high level of growth. It should be expanded that to towns and villages around the county and country.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator for his remarks. I am aware of the Clarinbridge issue. Councillor Martina Kinane has kept us up to date on that. We will refer the Senator's remarks back to the Minister as well as the list of other schemes he made available.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I know this is a big issue in the Senator's constituency. Hopefully that will work out.