Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 507: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to outline his plans for upgrading of the water supply to Gort town and the regional groups; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39421/10]

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 and sewerage services infrastructure in County Galway. The programme included provision for the upgrade of the treatment plant in Gort and water conservations works which will also benefit the area.

Work is ongoing on these contracts which will to improve the water supply to Gort. Galway County Council has confirmed that work on the Gort Water Supply Scheme to upgrade the existing water treatment plant to tackle water quality issues with the existing supply is nearing completion.

In addition, advance works on the Regional Scheme for mains replacement in the town under the Council's water conservation programme are also in progress. Further information on progress with those contracts may be had from the Council.

While provision is made to commence contracts to the value of some €130 million in county Galway during the period of the Programme, apart from the foregoing contracts, it was not possible to include the wider proposals for the Gort Regional Water Supply Scheme amongst the priority contracts and schemes selected for inclusion. The new Programme prioritises 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 Galway 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.

Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 508: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reason that the provision of a water supply to an area (details supplied) was separated last year from upgrade head works at Loughrea water works as it was planned; the reason it was included in original costings for the complete project; if he will indicate when this scheme will be allowed to start work to bring water supplies to the group water members as intended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39422/10]

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 County Galway. The new Programme prioritises 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. The Council's proposal for upgrading the Loughrea water treatment plant is considered to reflect Programme priorities as the supply is on the EPA's Remedial Action List and was included in the programme. However, the proposed extension to the network, envisaged as part of the Loughrea Regional Water Supply Scheme, was not included in the Programme as it relates solely to expansion of the existing supply. This envisaged expansion would include the provision of the trunk main to serve Kilreekil.

Galway County Council submitted a revised Preliminary Report for the overall Loughrea Regional Water Supply Scheme to the Department in February 2010. As part of my Department's ongoing assessment of this Report, my Department is also examining Galway County Council's most recent cost estimates submitted in August 2010 for its proposals to provide a water supply from Loughrea to Kilreekil.

A decision on the Report, including the cost estimates, will be conveyed to the Council shortly. However, it should be noted that, although upgrading the treatment plant is a prerequisite to providing a water supply to Kilreekil village, the Council's proposals to connect Kilreekil to the Loughrea Regional Water Supply Scheme are not part of this project at this time. I have included a review process as one of a number of new measures in the Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012, under which the Programme will be reviewed and updated annually to allow for any re-prioritisation required. The format and timing of the review process has still to be decided by my Department. Although Galway County Council has requested my Department to consider the inclusion of the trunk main to KIlreekil element of the Loughrea Regional Water Supply Scheme in the Programme, the Council will need to re-assess its Kilreekil proposals in light of my Department's assessment of its revised Preliminary Report for the entire Scheme, due to issue shortly.

Insofar as the Kilreekil Group Water Scheme is concerned, responsibility for the administration of the Rural Water Programme, which includes funding for group water schemes, has been devolved to local authorities since 1997. The advancement of individual group schemes under the programme, within the overall priorities set by my Department and subject to the block grant funding provided, is, therefore, a matter for the relevant local authority i.e. Galway County Council in this case.

Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 509: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding raw sewage that is entering Kinavara Bay and lowering the quality of water, violating the European waters directive, damaging the bay and tourism in the area and the public health of those using the bay for recreation; when works on alleviation scheme will begin [39423/10]

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 County Galway. The Kinvara Sewerage Scheme is included in the Programme amongst the list of contracts in the county to start in the period 2010 – 2012.

My Department is currently examining Galway County Council's design review report for the scheme and a decision on the report will be conveyed to the Council as soon as possible. Once approved, the Council can then proceed with the preparation of contract documents for the scheme.