Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 960: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the serious effect on the finances of local authorities of the cost of regulation initiated by the Environmental Protection Agency in regard to water treatment plants and to waste water plants in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38633/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Waste Water Discharge (Authorisation) Regulations 2007 were made in September 2007 to provide for an authorisation regime for local authority wastewater discharges, which is being administered by the EPA. The Regulations are intended to prevent and reduce the pollution of waters as required under the European Union Water Framework Directive. Furthermore, the regulations are part of a range of measures to address an adverse judgement of the European Court of Justice, concerning Ireland's transposition and implementation of the Dangerous Substances Directive (76/464/EEC).

The European Communities (Drinking Water) (No.2) Regulations 2007, which were made in June 2007, conferred new supervisory powers on the EPA and local authorities in relation to drinking water supplies in order to improve the quality of drinking water. Under these Regulations, the EPA can issue a direction to a local authority to take appropriate action to ensure the safety of public drinking water supplies. The strengthening of the regulatory regime in 2007 was one of the key measures agreed with the European Commission in order to address the 2002 judgement of the European Court of Justice, concerning Ireland's transposition and implementation of the Drinking Water Directive (98/83/EC).

Capital funding for infrastructural works, that are required to meet the regulatory requirements of the EPA, is available from my Department under the Water Services Investment and Rural Water Programmes, as appropriate. In addition, specifically ear-marked funding from the Local Government Fund was allocated to local authorities in 2008 and 2009 to assist in meeting costs associated with monitoring of drinking water supplies and wastewater treatment, and for effluent discharge licensing.