Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 450: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when his Department will release funds to the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to enable them to upgrade works on the Maretimo stream, Blackrock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35879/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library, provides for the development of a comprehensive range of new water services infrastructure in the Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council area. The Dun Laoghaire Sewerage Scheme Phase 1 (Carysfort – Maretimo Stream Contract) is included in the Programme with the list of contracts in the county to start in the period 2010 – 2012, at an estimated cost of €5.9m.

In the course of assessing tenders for the contract, Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council advised a contractor that the tender submitted by that company was non-compliant. In accordance with the terms of the tendering process the contractor exercised the right to have the matter referred to my Department for review. This review is in progress and will be concluded as speedily as possible.

Separately the council submitted a request to my Department seeking confirmation that funding is available to allow the contract to be awarded. As this request does not take account of the tender review process currently in train it is deemed premature. I will make the necessary funding available to allow the contract proceed when the procurement process has been satisfactorily completed.