Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 591: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he proposes to offer further funding to Kildare County Council by way of capital allocation to assist with the implementation of group water schemes; if funds will be provided as requested by the local authority; if such allocation will include sufficient funds to facilitate the Ballyna group water scheme and other such schemes in view of the fact that the Department's allocation to date of €1 million is far short of requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13384/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Responsibility for the operation of the rural water programme, including the prioritisation, approval and payment of grants to group schemes, has been devolved to county councils since 1997. I have provided an overall block grant allocation of €2.327 million to Kildare County Council under the 2006 rural water programme, an increase of 41% on the council's expenditure last year.

Kildare County Council requested an allocation of €1.541 million for 11 new group water schemes, three at construction and eight at pre-tender stage, in the 2006 rural water programme proposals submitted to the Department in December 2005. The council indicated that no funding would be required for the Ballyna scheme until 2007 as it is dependent on prior commissioning of new wellfields and completion of trunk mains under the Kildare water supply strategy, phase 1.

I have approved an allocation of €1 million under this measure of the rural water programme for the current year which I expect will be sufficient to meet all likely expenditure. However, as in previous years, I will consider making, from any savings elsewhere, increased allocations to councils where progress is ahead of schedule.