John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 248: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the grants available for group sewerage and water schemes; his plans to review these grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44708/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The rate of grant available for Group Sewerage Schemes is €2,031.58 per house or 75% of the cost of the scheme, whichever is the lesser. My Department has funded a pilot programme to test a range of new, small-scale waste-water collection and treatment systems under Irish conditions. The objective of this pilot programme was to evaluate new approaches to meeting the waste water collection and treatment needs of rural communities. The National Rural Water Services Committee, which is currently being established, will consider the Final Report on the performance of new infrastructure provided under this pilot programme. I will review the future role of group sewerage schemes in the provision of waste water collections systems in the light of the Committee's report.

In the case of group water schemes a grant of 100% of the cost of essential treatment and disinfection facilities is available for 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 new group water schemes and for general upgrading of existing group water schemes using conventional procurement. The current grants available for group water schemes are considered adequate and I have no proposals at present to review them.