Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 86: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he is taking in relation to the 28 city and county councils that have in their administrative areas sites that were identified amongst the 339 sites listed by the Environmental Protection Agency as requiring remedial action, to ensure that those councils have the necessary resources and qualified staff to carry out necessary and timely remedial works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14470/08]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 93: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he will take to ensure that local authorities have the necessary resources and qualified staff to implement the recommendations in relation to public water supplies and group water schemes contained in the Environmental Protection Agency report, The Provision and Quality of Drinking Water in Ireland, A Report for the Years 2006-2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14440/08]

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 398: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he will take, in view of the problems of water quality in County Wicklow, as highlighted in the recent Environmental Protection Agency report, to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15065/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 86, 93 and 398 together.

The Government's commitment to ensuring that water supplies achieve full compliance with drinking water standards is reflected in the €4.7 billion in capital funding for water services infrastructure in the National Development Plan (NDP) 2007-2013, an increase of 27% on the previous NDP. In addition, new drinking water regulations, made in June 2007, gave the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and local authorities significantly enhanced supervisory and enforcement powers in respect of quality standards in public and group water supplies, respectively.

The EPA publication "The Provision and Quality of Drinking Water in Ireland: A Report of the Years 2006-2007" has identified 339 public water supply schemes where detailed profiling is required from source to tap to ensure consumers have a reliable supply that is consistently of a satisfactory standard. My Department and the EPA are working in conjunction with local authorities urgently to identify, agree and implement appropriate solutions in these cases. Solutions may range from upgrading treatment facilities to abandoning unsuitable sources or improving operation and maintenance arrangements. Where significant infrastructural works are required they will be funded by my Department and I have put in place contingency funding arrangements for that purpose. The EPA will oversee implementation of all remedial actions as part of its enhanced supervisory function.

My Department has, in recent years, also provided special Local Government Fund assistance to local authorities and group water schemes towards water services operation and maintenance expenses. In 2008, some €23.4 million is available to local authorities and €16m to group water schemes from this special provision. Proposals from local authorities for additional staffing resources are considered on their merits, subject to the overall constraint on public sector employment.