Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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463. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government following a recent announcement of a pilot group sewage scheme that is being rolled out in a number of areas throughout the country, if he will confirm if there are additional funds available to residents in other rural areas in County Leitrim (details supplied) to connect to the mains sewage schemes. [25234/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Responsibility for the administration of the Rural Water Programme, which includes group sewerage schemes, has been devolved to local authorities since 1997. In December 2012 I announced an increase in the grant for group sewerage schemes to €6,500 per house or 75% of the cost of the scheme, whichever is the lesser. The previous rate of grant available was €2,031.58 per house or 75% of the cost, whichever was the lesser.

I propose, in the first instance, to carry out a number of pilot schemes based on the increased grant level. My Department asked local authorities to include in their requests for funding under the 2013 Rural Water Programme proposals for group sewerage schemes which might be viable based on the increased grant. Following an examination of the proposals received, which did not include the scheme referred to in the Question, I approved grant assistance last March towards a number of pilot schemes, including one at Jamestown Rue in Co. Leitrim. Progress on these pilot schemes will be reviewed in due course with a view to deciding how best to proceed with the grant scheme.