Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 396: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding the sewerage scheme for each of the towns (details supplied); if funding will be provided for all or any of these schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28269/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Castleblaney/Ballybay/Clones Sewerage Scheme is included for funding in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007 – 2009 at an estimated cost of €12 million. My Department currently awaits the submission of Monaghan County Council's preliminary report for the scheme.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 397: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the amount paid by local authorities prior to design and operate schemes being introduced for waste water treatment plants here; the costs being paid by local authorities in 2009 to private contractors under the DBO schemes; and if he will publish the public sector cost comparator in relation to these plans in order that there can be public transparency in order that the public are aware they are achieving value for money results for the Irish tax payer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28273/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I refer to Question No. 406 of 10 March 2009. Costs associated with the operation and maintenance of water services treatment plants have been increasing in recent years, reflecting both the increased capital investment in the sector over the past decade or so and the need to meet increased water quality standards. Details of income and expenditure by each Water Services Authority in respect of water services may be obtained from Local Authorities' Financial Outturns which are published on my Department's website.

Where local authorities propose to provide water services treatment plants by way of Public Private Partnership procurement - typically by way of a Design, Build and Operate (DBO) contract - they are required to prepare a Public Sector Benchmark (PSB) Report. The PSB consists of a comprehensive, detailed risk adjusted costing of the project elements over the whole life of the project on the basis of conventional procurement and enables a comparison to be made on a like for like basis between traditional and PPP procurement. PPP tenders are then evaluated by reference to the PSB to determine whether the PPP approach will deliver better value for money compared to traditional procurement. In all PSB reports to date, the PPP route has been shown to provide better value for money than conventional procurement, of up to 15% - 20% in the case of capital costs and 10 – 15% in the case of operating costs, depending on scale.

PSB Reports in individual cases can be obtained from the relevant procurement authorities once the tenders have been awarded.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 398: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress made regarding approval for funding for the serviced land initiative at Castlecomer in County Kilkenny; the stage the application is at; the timeframe involved for the completion of consideration of the project and final decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28294/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I refer to the reply to Question No. 207 of 16 June 2009. The position is unchanged.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 399: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to ensure that Galway County Council has adequate funding to implement its water services investment programme; his views on whether this programme is of importance to the people of Galway in view of recent drinking water crises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28325/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Funding for major water and sewerage schemes in Galway is provided under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009 which is available in the Oireachtas Library.

The Water Services Investment Programme is currently under review to ensure that spending is focused on priority schemes. Water Services Authorities will be asked to undertake updated assessments of needs which will be used as a key input to the review of the Programme. Priority objectives for the new Programme will include the need to deliver infrastructure required to meet National and EU standards in relation to drinking water.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 400: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if local authorities have communicated to him that they are experiencing or will experience financial difficulties in respect of completing or implementing their water services investment programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28326/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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A provision of €500 million is available for the Programme for 2009, which is a 1% increase on the record outturn on the Programme for last year. In addition to funding ongoing commitments and new works under the Rural Water Programme, the provision will fund ongoing progress on some 120 major water and wastewater schemes under the Water Services Investment Programme. The available resources will allow up to 50 major new water and wastewater schemes to commence this year, some of which have already started. My Department will prioritise the remaining schemes yet to start, having regard to both environmental and economic objectives i.e. schemes required to meet National and EU environmental standards in relation to drinking water and wastewater disposal, European Court of Justice cases and works that will support economic development.

In accordance with the Government's Water Pricing Policy, the marginal capital cost of providing water services infrastructure to the non-domestic sector is funded by that sector. Pending the receipt of funds from the non-domestic sector in respect of such works, local authorities fund the works themselves through the proceeds of development levies or access to borrowing. My Department continues to work closely with local authorities to ensure that within the overall financial limits applying to borrowing decisions, are taken in a way which gives the necessary prioritisation to the provision of key infrastructure.