Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 330: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the consideration of the environmental impact statement report and the contract documents for the Casla regional water scheme, County Galway, will be completed; and when approval will be given to the council to proceed with the project in view of the fact that he previously indicated this would happen in May 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11349/11]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 331: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the approval on the contract documents for the wastewater plant in Clifden, County Galway, will be given in view of the fact that he previously indicated that this would happen in April 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11350/11]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 332: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the approval of the DBO contract documents for both the wastewater plant and the collection system for the Claregalway and Miltown sewerage schemes, County Galway, will be given in view of the fact that he previously indicated that this would happen in March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11351/11]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 333: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when approval will be given to Galway County Council to proceed with the preparation of contract documents for the Oughterard sewerage scheme, County Galway, in view of the fact that he previously indicated that this would happen in May 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11352/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 330 to 333, inclusive, together.

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 Programme includes contracts under construction and to commence to the value of some €130 million in the county during the period of the Programme.

An Bord Pleanála has approved the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Costelloe Regional Water Supply Scheme with conditions. Galway County Council submitted a copy of the EIS to my Department in October 2010, together with its report on the EIS conditions. My Department is currently finalising its examination of the Contract Documents in conjunction with this report and it is expected that a decision will be conveyed to the Council by the end of this month. Once approved, the Council can then proceed to invite tenders for the construction of the scheme.

Yesterday, I announced the approval of Galway County Council's Contract Documents for the Clifden Sewerage Scheme Network and Wastewater Treatment Plant (DBO) at an estimated cost of €7 million. The Council can now proceed to invite tenders for the construction of the scheme.

I also announced the approval yesterday of Galway County Council's Contract Documents for the Networks for the Milltown and Claregalway Sewerage Scheme at an estimated cost of €2.9 million. The Council can now proceed to invite tenders for the construction of the networks.

Last month my Department requested Galway County Council to revise the Design Build Operate Contract Documents for the wastewater treatment plant for Milltown and Claregalway Sewerage Scheme. Once the revised Contract Documents are submitted and approved by my Department, the Council can then proceed to invite tenders for this contract.

My Department awaits Galway County Council's revised Design Review Report for the Oughterard Sewerage Scheme, which was requested last month. Once the report is submitted and approved by my Department, the Council can then proceed with the preparation of contract documents for the scheme.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Question 334: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the provision of sewerage treatment plants (details supplied) in County Limerick; the date of applications; the stages that the applications have gone through to date; when he expects to be able to move forward with the applications; his plans to restructure the applications on a priority basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11399/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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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 some €23 million.

The Programme aims to prioritise projects that target environmental compliance issues and support economic and employment growth. 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 further appraised in the Department having regard, inter alia, to the level of funding likely to be available over the period of the programme. Inevitably, through this process, certain projects that had been proposed had to give way to others that were more strategically important.

The Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012 provides for the commencement of contracts relating to the Askeaton and Dromcollogher Sewerage Schemes whereas the Pallasgreen, Bruff, Hospital, Shanagolden, Adare, Foynes, Glin and Athea Sewerage Schemes were not included in the Programme.

My Department is examining Preliminary Reports for the Askeaton and Drumcollogher Sewerage Schemes. A decision on the Preliminary Reports will be conveyed to the Council as soon as possible.

My Department wrote to all local authorities at the end of March 2011 in relation to the annual review of the Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012. The deadline for receipt of returns was 21 April 2011. Given the short time which has passed since the extensive review of the Programme was completed in 2009/2010, and having regard to the ongoing pressure on Exchequer funding generally, it is envisaged that only minor adjustments will be made to the Programme at this stage. Limerick County Council has proposed that the Adare Sewerage Scheme be included in the Programme. It is envisaged that a decision will be conveyed to Limerick County Council in relation to this proposal by the end of June 2011.

In addition, some of the schemes referred to were included in the Council's bids for funding under the 2011 Rural Water Programme. Responsibility for the administration of the Rural Water Programme has been devolved to local authorities since 1997. The selection and approval of individual schemes for advancement and funding under this programme, within the overall priorities set by my Department and subject to the block grant allocations provided, is therefore a matter for the local authorities with the exception, in the case of Limerick County Council, of a special allocation of €465,000, specifically for improvements identified under the River Basin Management Planning process, at Bruff Waste Water Treatment Plant.