Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 366: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the extent to which he will offer capital assistance to Kildare County Council or otherwise towards the provision of further domestic drinking water supply having particular regard to the urgent and growing need in the area; if he has received proposals from the local authority seeking funding in this regard; his response or intention in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28248/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 367: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the full extent of sewage treatment facilities currently required throughout County Kildare; the number of contracts involved, approved, under review or pending; if these entail small, group or major capital schemes; the extent to which final costs are expected to be in line with original projections; if provision is expected to take place as required or in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28249/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 368: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his proposals to financially support or otherwise assist toward the provision of extra domestic water supply here; the extent of such works in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28250/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 369: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he has taken or will take to address areas sensitive to pollution here; if adequate procedures are in place or are expected to be put in place to address such issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28251/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 370: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has sought or received a report indicating an expected pollution threat to ground water arising from the inadequacy of sewage treatment facilities at various locations here; his proposals to address these issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28254/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 366 to 370, inclusive, together.

The Government's commitment to improving water services infrastructure is reflected in the very substantially increased funding of some €4.7 billion provided for my Department's Water Services Investment and Rural Water Programmes in the National Development Plan 2007-13, an increase of 27% on the previous NDP.

Particulars of major water services schemes approved for Co Kildare and other local authority areas are set out in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009, which is available in the Oireachtas Library. More detailed information in relation to individual contracts under this Programme, and in relation to activity generally under the small public schemes and group water schemes measures of the devolved Rural Water Programme, may be obtained from relevant local authorities. The procedures for approving, procuring and advancing water services schemes are based on securing optimum results in terms of infrastructure provision and best value for money.

The schemes included in the current Water Services Investment Programme are derived mainly from the assessments of needs undertaken by all local authorities, at my Department's request, as an input to the overall strategy for meeting water services infrastructural requirements. In these assessments authorities are required to quantify the needs for capital works in their areas and to list their proposals on the basis of the priorities adopted by the elected members. Annual block grant allocations by my Department to local authorities under the devolved Rural Water Programme are informed by prioritised work programmes submitted by county councils.

Among the criteria local authorities are required to take into account in preparing assessments of needs and rural water work programmes are compliance with national and EU drinking water and wastewater treatment standards, and relevant reports produced by the EPA in relation to water quality, drinking water standards and municipal waste water treatment.

In conjunction with the publication of its report "The Provision and Quality of Drinking Water in Ireland: A Report of the Years 2006-2007", the EPA has listed 339 public water supplies 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 to identify, agree and implement appropriate solutions in these cases.

I have also provided contingency funding of €10m in 2008 for smaller scale upgrading works to schemes included in the EPA list and my Department is currently finalising its examination of applications from local authorities for funding from this provision. Any major upgrading schemes required have been approved for funding under the Water Services Investment Programme and my Department is also considering proposals invited from local authorities for advance works on these schemes that would expedite compliance with security and safety of supply requirements.