Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 431: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if, in response to the findings of the Environmental Protection Agency report Urban Waste Water Discharges in Ireland: A Report for the Years 2006 and 2007, that there is inadequate waste water treatment at Kinsale and Skibbereen, County Cork, he will ensure adequate treatment is in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28697/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Kinsale and Skibbereen Sewerage Schemes are included for funding under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007 – 2009 at €20 million each. I understand that the Kinsale scheme and the collection network element of the Skibbereen scheme are under construction. Cork County Council are currently preparing the contract documents for the wastewater treatment plant element of the Skibbereen scheme, which will be procured, along with treatment plants for Baltimore, Dunmanway and Schull, as a single Design Build Operate (DBO) contract. Accordingly, further details on progress with the two schemes may be obtained from the Council.

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 432: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the works due to be carried out and the cost of same in 2009 in works to improve waste water treatment facilities at places that were identified by the Environmental Protection Agency as having inadequate treatment facilities in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28698/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I assume the question refers to the table of agglomerations where the provision of secondary wastewater treatment is outstanding, as set out by the EPA in page 4 of its report Urban Wastewater Discharges in Ireland – A Report for the Years 2006 – 2007.

My Department has funded a programme of works in successive years to ensure that priority is accorded to meeting the requirements of the Directive. As a result of these works, compliance with the requirement to provide secondary treatment of wastewater at plants increased from 25% in 2000 to some 92% at present. In the case of the 28 agglomerations outlined by the EPA in the table referred to, the required treatment plants have since been provided in the case of 6 locations; the required treatment plants will come into operation later this year in the case of a further 4 locations; a further 4 plants are under construction and the remainder are scheduled to commence construction between 2009 and 2013.

The approved costs incurred in the development of these projects are recouped to the local authorities under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme. Information in relation to costs arising on each individual project in 2009 may be obtained from the relevant local authorities.

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 433: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps taken following the European Court of Justice finding in 2008 that inadequate waste water treatment was being carried out at six locations here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28699/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The current position in relation to the provision of the required infrastructure arising from this judgement is set out in the following table: