Written answers

Thursday, 27 November 2008

Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Water Quality

5:00 pm

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 50: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps that are to be taken to upgrade sewage and industrial waste water treatment plants in order to tackle the problem of water pollution and the eutrophication of rivers, lakes and tidal waters as outlined in the most recent Environmental Protection Agency report on water quality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43043/08]

Photo of John GormleyJohn Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The regular reports on water quality by the Environmental Protection Agency are taken into account in the approval and funding of individual wastewater schemes under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme. The latest phase of the Programme relating to the period 2007 — 2009 is available in the Oireachtas Library. €560 million was provided in the Budget for new and improved water services infrastructure in 2009, representing the highest ever such provision and an increase of 19% over the 2008 allocation. This clearly reflects the priority assigned by the Government to the preservation and protection of our water resources, to meeting EU standards for wastewater treatment and to providing critical water and wastewater infrastructure.

New operational and supervisory structures for wastewater infrastructure have also been put in place, including licensing of municipal waste water discharges and the allocation of additional financial and staffing resources to the EPA to support its monitoring and oversight role in this area.

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