Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 151: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he proposes to take steps to ensure the capital programme in respect of small, medium and large sewerage schemes throughout the country will proceed unimpeded with particular reference to the need to eliminate potential pollution of water courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43287/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Local authorities are required by my Department to undertake regular assessments of needs for new or upgraded infrastructure in their areas and to determine their priorities in accordance with the assessments. In carrying out these assessments authorities take a range of factors into account, including:

relevant national and EU environmental and public health water quality statutory requirements and standards, including the requirements of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Regulations, 2001;

relevant reports and studies such as the National Urban Waste Water Study and any similar studies/reports commissioned locally;

relevant reports produced by the Environmental Protection Agency on water quality and urban wastewater discharges;

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

continued support for economic activity and the National Spatial Strategy.

The needs assessments produced by local authorities were taken into account in the selection and scheduling of the schemes approved for funding under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007 -2009 which is available in the Oireachtas Library. €560 million was provided in the Budget for the Programme in 2009, the highest ever such allocation and an increase of 19% over the 2008 provision. This is a clear statement of the priority assigned to the preservation and protection of our water resources, to meeting EU standards for drinking water and wastewater treatment and to providing critical new water and wastewater infrastructure.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if it is expected to allocate the necessary funding to Kildare County Council to enable the Ballyna group water scheme to proceed in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43288/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I refer to the reply to Question No. 207 of 23 October 2008. The position is unchanged.