Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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Question 461: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when phase two of the Innishannon regional water scheme in west Cork will be initiated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22081/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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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 nationally, including County Cork. Provision is made to commence contracts to the value of over €200 million in the county during the period of the programme.

The programme aims to prioritise projects that target environmental compliance issues and support economic recovery. A key input to the development of the programme was the assessment of needs prepared by local authorities, including Cork 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 by my 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. Cork County Council submitted a proposal for the extension of the Innishannon Water Supply Scheme (Belgooley & Riverstick) but it was not possible to include the proposal amongst the priority contracts and schemes selected for inclusion in the programme.

Progress under the Water Services Investment Programme 2010-2012, has recently been reviewed and through this process, consideration was given to any newly emerging priority contracts and schemes submitted by water services authorities for addition to the programme. No new proposal for the existing Innishannon Regional Water Supply Scheme was received from Cork County Council.