Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 448: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding Adare sewerage scheme, Adare, County Limerick. [20357/10]

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 451: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding the Askeaton sewerage scheme, Askeaton, County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20439/10]

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 454: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 434 of 23 February 2010, the position regarding the Kilmallock sewerage scheme, Kilmallock, County Limerick. [20470/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 448, 451 and 454 together.

A comprehensive range of new water services infrastructure has been approved for County Limerick in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2010 -2012, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library. The total value of contracts underway and those proposed for commencement during the period of the Programme in County Limerick is €23.186 million. The Programme provides for the commencement of contracts relating to the Askeaton and Kilmallock Sewerage Schemes whereas the Adare Sewerage Scheme is not included in the new Programme.

My Department is currently examining Limerick County Council's Design Build Operate contract documents for the wastewater treatment plant for the Kilmallock Sewerage scheme and a decision will be conveyed to the Council as soon as possible. The Department is also examining a Preliminary Report for a bundle of five sewerage schemes, including Askeaton. The other schemes included in the bundle, the Athea, Foynes, Glin and Shanagolden Sewerage Schemes, are not included among the contracts and schemes in County Limerick to be progressed under the new Programme. A decision on the Preliminary Report will be conveyed to the Council as soon as possible.

The new Programme aims to prioritise projects that target environmental compliance issues and support economic and employment growth as envisaged in the Government's policy document Building Ireland's Smart Economy – A Framework for Sustainable Economic Revival.

A key input to the development of the Programme was the assessment of needs prepared by local authorities, including Limerick County Council, in response to my Department's request to the authorities in 2009 to review and prioritise their proposals for new capital works in their areas. These were subsequently appraised in the Department in the context of the funds available and key criteria that complemented those used by the authorities. Inevitably, through this process, certain projects that had been proposed had to give way to others that are more strategically important at this time.