Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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152. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding a project (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43951/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2013 provides for the development of a comprehensive range of new water services infrastructure in County Clare. Consideration was given, as part of the review of the Programme in 2011, to any newly emerging priority contracts and schemes submitted by local authorities for addition to the Programme, in line with the original priorities set out for the Programme for this cycle of investment. The Programme now includes contracts under construction and to commence to the value of almost €42 million in County Clare during the period of the Programme.

The Programme prioritises projects that target environmental compliance issues and support economic and employment growth. A key input to the development of the Programme was the assessment of needs prepared by local authorities, including Clare County Council, in response to my Department’s request to authorities in 2009 to review and prioritise their proposals for new capital works in their areas. These were subsequently appraised in 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 were more strategically important at that time.

The Carrigaholt Sewerage Scheme was not amongst the priority contracts and schemes selected for inclusion in the current Programme. While Clare County Council submitted a proposal to have the Carrigaholt Sewerage Scheme included in the current programme, as part of the review process in 2011, there had been no change in circumstances since 2009 such as to alter the priority attached to the scheme. Consequently it was not possible to include the Carrigaholt Sewerage Scheme in the current Programme.

However, Clare County Council may consider submitting a proposal in respect of group sewerage scheme grants when submissions are requested for 2014.