Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 135: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the criteria to be used to prioritise water and sewerage schemes in County Kildare in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11925/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012 includes details of the contracts to commence in County Kildare, and nationally, over the period 2010 to 2012, as well as schemes to advance through planning in this period. A copy of the Programme is available in the Oireachtas library.

The specific environmental and economic pressures that have informed priorities and project selection in the Programme are:

Ø Water conservation proposals which meet environmental and economic goals;

Ø Environmental objectives including works required to respond to:

o Judgments of the European Court of Justice;

o Environment and Public Health Objectives arising, for example, from environmental regulation in respect of drinking water standards, wastewater treatment standards, wastewater discharge authorisations, bathing water standards, Pollution Reduction Programme for Shellfish Waters, fresh water pearl mussel plans, etc; and

o Compliance with the Water Framework Directive requirements,

Ø Projects which support economic development and employment creation.

My Department is currently undertaking an annual review of the Programme. There are two components to this review: a review of progress of all schemes and contracts currently in the Programme, and following that a consideration of the need for any reprioritisation of contracts and schemes, including addressing issues which have emerged since the Programme was published and which require an urgent response. The current scale of the published Programme was set in the context of likely available financial resources over the medium term. In light of this, and the short time which has passed since the extensive review undertaken in the development of the Programme, there is only scope for, and should only be a need for, minor adjustments to the Programme at this stage.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 136: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of group water schemes approved by each local authority in each of the past three years and to date in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11926/11]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 142: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of group water and sewerage schemes funded by him in each of the past five years and to date in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11932/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 and 142 together.

Responsibility for the administration of the Rural Water Programme, which includes group water and sewerage schemes, has been devolved to local authorities since 1997.

The selection and approval of individual group schemes for advancement and funding under the programme, within the overall priorities set by my Department and subject to the block grant allocation provided, is therefore a matter for the local authorities. The information requested may, therefore, be sought from the local authorities.