Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 198: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has received an application from Dublin City Council to extract 350 million litres of water per day from Lough Ree; if his attention has been drawn to the concern the people of the midlands have in relation to the detriment that this would present to the River Shannon as a whole if allowed to proceed; if he will take steps to ensure that other more viable and reasonable alternatives are explored for the provision of water supplied to the Greater Dublin Area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19362/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Funding was provided to Dublin City Council under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2005-2007 for a study to assess the long-term water usage and supply needs of the Greater Dublin Area and to identify potential options for meeting those needs. The study, which examined all potential solutions for meeting the region's future requirements, concluded that, allowing for the development of existing water supply sources and taking account of the requirements of other local authorities, an adequate, sustainable long-term response to Dublin's needs could only be provided either by abstraction from the Shannon or by the provision of a desalination plant. The City Council is proceeding with a detailed appraisal of both options. Any decision to proceed with the Shannon proposal will be subject to relevant statutory procedures, including Strategic Environmental Assessment.