Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 380: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the funding for households and for local authorities which is available for treatment systems when arsenic levels in water in a given rural area are higher than they should be, in water supplied by private wells and by group schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35305/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Under the Rural Water Programme the following grants are available to group water schemes and individual households on private water supplies for the provision of water treatment facilities to remedy deficiencies in water quality. A grant of 100% of the cost of essential treatment and disinfection facilities is available for group water schemes participating in bundled Design Build Operate contracts. Other necessary works like buildings, reservoirs, pipelines associated with the contract are grant aided at up to 85% of cost, subject to a maximum grant of €6,475.66 per house.

Grants of up to 85% of cost subject to a maximum grant of €6,475.66 per house are available for general upgrading of treatment plants and network refurbishment on group water schemes using conventional procurement. Grant aid of €2,031.58 per house or 75% of the approved cost whichever is the lesser is available for the provision or necessary improvement of an individual water supply to a house that does not have access to either a public or group water scheme supply.

Responsibility for the administration of the Rural Water Programme was devolved to local authorities in 1997. Under the devolved arrangements, the approval and payment of grants is a matter for the relevant local authority.

Seán Connick (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Question 381: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, further to Parliamentary Question No. 349 of 26 May 2009, if he has made a decision on an application by Wexford County Council for continued funding of the Taghmon, Piercestown and Castlebridge sewerage schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35307/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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My Department is continuing its assessment of the responses received from local authorities, including Wexford County Council's application for continued funding of the schemes in question, and expects to notify the relevant local authorities of the decisions on the schemes to progress, shortly.