Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 226: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the proposals to extract water from the River Shannon for the midlands and greater Dublin area; if the new water authority has to be set up first; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21553/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Dublin City Council has been examining the feasibility of taking water from the River Shannon as a means of providing long-term security of supply in the Dublin region. Consultants working for Dublin City Council have completed a Preliminary Report which addresses this matter and outlines the options examined for source development, the type of treatment to be provided and how the water could be delivered and distributed. The preferred option identified in the report involves abstraction of water from Lough Derg and storing raw water in the midlands. Additional statutory procedures, such as Environmental Impact Assessment, Water Abstraction Order and planning consent, must be completed before such a scheme can proceed to construction.

This scheme is included as a scheme to advance through planning under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2010-2012 and will be subject to normal approvals procedures required for capital funding under this programme. The Programme for Government proposes the establishment of a new State-owned water company to be called Irish Water. The Memorandum of Understanding between Ireland and the European Union and International Monetary Fund commits Ireland to undertaking an independent assessment of the establishment of a water utility. My Department is overseeing an independent assessment of the establishment of the new water company. The assessment is to be completed later this year.

No decision has yet been taken on the functions to be assigned to the new company. The matter will be considered by the Government on completion of the independent assessment. Regardless of what entity is the promoter of the scheme, it must proceed through the statutory procedures outlined above.