Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 66: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number and location of the local authorities from which he has received submissions in respect of upgrading, extending or providing new sewage treatment systems throughout the country; the extent to which he has evaluated the total cost and the urgent necessity to respond positively in respect of such submissions; if his attention has been drawn to the inadequacies in the sewage treatment systems at various locations throughout the country leading to pollution, including severe methane gas emissions; if he expects to be in a position to provide the necessary funding as and when required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28720/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 231: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he is satisfied regarding the adequacy of supply and quality of drinking water in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28925/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 233: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to increase the supply and quality of domestic drinking water in line with the requirements of increased population; if he will quantify his proposals in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28927/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 234: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he expects to be in a position to provide all local authorities with the funding they have requested to ensure the elimination of pollution threats caused by overloaded or outdated treatment works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28928/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 235: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the extent to which he or his Department have identified adequate new domestic drinking water sources to meet future population requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28929/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 238: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he expects to increase the capital programme for waste water treatment and domestic drinking water supply in line with demographic requirements in the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28932/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 240: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has received technical advice from Kildare County Council in regard to the urgent need for the augmentation of the sewerage treatment system throughout the county; his proposals in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28934/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 66, 231, 233, 234, 235, 238 and 240 together.

Each local authority was asked by my Department in 2006 to carry out a detailed assessment of the needs for capital water services infrastructure in their area and to prioritise their assessments, taking account, inter alia, of:

national and EU environmental and public health requirements and standards, including the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, the Urban Wastewater Treatment Regulations, 2001 and the European Communities (Drinking Water) Regulations, 2000,

relevant reports produced by the Environmental Protection Agency, on the quality of drinking water, on water quality generally and on urban wastewater discharges,

specific reports and studies such as the National Urban Waste Water Study, County Sludge Management Plans and any other relevant studies/reports commissioned locally,

the provisions of their Development Plans or any draft Development Plans and any strategic regional planning guidelines or local area plans,

National Spatial Strategy objectives,

Any remaining non-compliant water schemes listed in Annex 12 of the EU Commission's application to the European Court of Justice in respect of Ireland's implementation of the Drinking Water Directive,

the adequacy of existing collection networks and, in the case of anticipated development, the adequacy of the capacity of existing treatment plants,

the need to provide for demographic, social and economic development,

the need to address infrastructural deficits in small rural towns, and

the outcome of River Basin District Management Projects and Characterisation Reports completed in 2005 under the Water Framework Directive.

The priorities adopted by the local authority elected members in their needs assessments were taken into account in the preparation of the €5.8 billion Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009 which I published in September 2007 and which is available in the Oireachtas Library. Details of individual needs assessments may be obtained from the relevant local authorities.