Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 197: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on whether it is unfair to ask non-residential residents of rural areas to pay enormous contributions towards sewerage schemes; his views on whether the requested €3 million towards the long awaited Achill sewerage scheme is impossible for local business; his further views on the fact that the Achill area cannot be compared to a large urban area or town under the polluter pays principle; the steps he will take in this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5072/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Achill Sound sewerage scheme has been approved for construction under my Department's water services investment programme 2005-2007. In common with all projects funded under the programme, this scheme is subject to water services pricing policy. Local authorities must ensure that the design and scale of individual schemes takes account of the implications of the pricing policy framework. In broad terms, this involves my Department funding the capital costs associated with the provision of services to meet the requirements of the existing domestic population. The additional marginal capital cost of servicing non-domestic consumers, and providing for future development, is recovered by the local authority from all non-domestic consumers in its functional area, that is, on a county-wide basis, through a combination of water charges on commercial consumers and planning levies on future development. Only significant large-scale consumers who reserve a specific proportion of the overall capacity of a scheme are required to make a direct contribution to the capital costs upfront. I understand that it is unlikely that there are any such consumers in this case.

My Department is awaiting submission by Mayo County Council of a revised water services pricing policy report that will determine the appropriate apportionment of the capital costs in this case in accordance with the policy framework. I understand that the council is reviewing the scheme with a view to reducing the overall cost to a more economic level.

Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 198: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reason he instructed local authorities to speed up water and sewerage schemes; if he will take a greater leading role on the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5234/06]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 216: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the strategies he intends using to speed up the construction of water and waste water treatment plants proposed under the water services investment programme 2005-2007; the implications these strategies will have for communities in the vicinities of the proposed plants; if these strategies include the curtailment of public consultation with local communities in the vicinity of the sites of the treatment facilities; if the carrying out of environmental assessments on such facilities will be affected by these strategies. [5297/06]

Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 621: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if new rules have been produced which allow sewerage schemes under €5 million to proceed without reference back to his Department once they have been approved; if this new rule applies to schemes already in the pipeline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5167/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 198, 216 and 621 together.

Record levels of funding have been provided for new and upgraded water and waste water infrastructure under the current national development plan. The additional capacity this has produced has made a direct and substantial contribution to strengthening economic performance by facilitating industrial and residential development and by supporting environmentally sustainable growth across all sectors. Given its pivotal role, it is essential that the most efficient procedures are in place to ensure that water services infrastructure provision can continue to anticipate and respond effectively to demand for new or improved services.

Against that background, I recently introduced new administrative procedures to streamline the advancement of individual water and sewerage scheme through the procurement process. The procedures, drawn up in consultation with the local authorities, provide that an individual scheme with a value of less than €5 million may, following preliminary approval by my Department, proceed to construction without further reference to the Department. This reduces from four to two the number of stage approvals that are subject to departmental approval in such cases up to the commencement of construction. Subject to the submission of certain limited additional supplementary information, the new procedures also apply to schemes where preliminary approval has already been received from the Department.

The new procedures are entirely administrative and, as such, will have no bearing on any statutory or other public consultation processes. I am nevertheless confident that devolving greater responsibilities to the local authorities and streamlining the administrative process will, as well as strengthening the local government system, maximise progress on individual schemes and on the water services investment programme generally.