Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 1513: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if figures released by the Central Statistics Office in July 2006 via the Census 2006 Preliminary Report will be used by his Department for any reason; if so, what the figures will be used for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29304/06]

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 1563: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if, in view of the increases in population in local authority areas as shown in the 2006 preliminary census figures, he will hold consultations with the Minister for Finance with a view to lifting the public service embargo on local authority staff recruitment. [29993/06]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 1571: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the action his Department is taking to adjust the provision of water and waste water services in the Greater Dublin Area, in view of the large increase in population in this area as indicated by the Census 2006 Preliminary Report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30150/06]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 1573: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if figures contained within the Census 2006 Preliminary Report will be used for the purpose of allocating the local government fund in 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30152/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1513, 1563, 1571 and 1573 together.

My Department will have regard to the recently published preliminary Census data, as well as the further reports to be prepared by the Central Statistics Offices over the coming months deriving from the 2006 Census, when reviewing relevant policy areas for which the Department is responsible. For example, the Department will examine the potential implications of the preliminary data for the National Spatial Strategy, the Regional Planning Guidelines and City and County Development Plans and associated Housing Strategies. This examination will assist in ensuring more effective infrastructural investment, and sustainable and balanced regional development over the coming years and will inform investment in social and affordable housing programmes.

Government policy on the control and regulation of numbers in the public sector, including local authorities, was announced in the Minister for Finance's Budget statement of 7 December 2005. I am continuing to keep the overall employment position in the sector under regular review, having regard to the need to deliver quality front line services and achieve value for money within the parameters of Government policy on public service employment generally.

Details of approved water services schemes for the Greater Dublin Area are set out in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2005 – 2007 which is available in the Oireachtas Library. In June 2006 all local authorities were asked to produce updated assessments of the need for new water services infrastructure in their areas in light of economic, demographic and other developments since the previous assessments were completed in 2003. Local authorities would have had regard to the preliminary results of the 2006 Census in that context. The infrastructural priorities identified by authorities in these latest assessments of needs will be taken into account in the selection of new schemes for funding under the next phase of the Water Services Investment Programme and in the context of the National Development Programme for 2007-2013.

Population is one of a range of factors which are used in determining general purpose grant allocations from the Local Government Fund. The results of the 2006 Census Preliminary Report will be taken into account for that purpose.