Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 141: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which funding is likely to become available for group water schemes throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37976/11]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 142: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when he expects to be in a position to offer funding to the various local authorities to meet the capital requirements in respect of group water schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37977/11]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 148: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which he expects to be in a position to assist Kildare County Council in their efforts to implement local group water schemes; the extent to which such proposals have been submitted for his proposals; the name and the location of the schemes in question; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37983/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 141, 142 and 148 together.

My Department provides funding towards group water schemes by way of annual block grant allocations to local authorities under the Department's Rural Water Programme.

Responsibility for the administration of this programme has been devolved to local authorities since 1997. The selection and approval of individual group scheme proposals for funding and advancement 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 water services authorities.

The recently published Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2012-16: Medium Term Exchequer Framework indicates that €40 million will be allocated to the Rural Water Programme in 2012. My Department will be writing to local authorities shortly asking them to submit proposals for funding under the Rural Water Programme in 2012. Decisions on the funding to be provided to local authorities, having regard to the proposals submitted, will be made as early as possible in the New Year.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 143: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which he expects to upgrade the various water and sewerage upgrading proposals by the various local authorities throughout the country on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37978/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The overall strategy of investment in water services is to ensure that the timing and scale of investment facilitates economic and other development, achieves compliance with statutory requirements and promotes environmental sustainability objectives. The main vehicle for achieving these objectives is the multi-annual Water Services Investment Programme. The Water Services Investment Programme 2010-2012 is available in the Oireachtas Library. This programme is complemented by funding for group water schemes and small public water and wastewater schemes under the Rural Water Programme.

The 2010-2012 programme was reviewed in the middle of this year, and this allowed my Department and Water Services Authorities jointly to take stock of progress, ensure that project milestones are being achieved and identify any actions required to increase programme momentum. As a result of this review 39 new contracts with an overall value of almost €87 million were being added to the Programme. These include a series of water conservation projects and contracts to ensure that water supplies and wastewater infrastructure comply with drinking water or wastewater discharge standards respectively. A copy of the Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012: Review 2011 is also available in the Oireachtas library.