Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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1062. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the reason funding towards the development of a sewage treatment plant in Carrigaholt in County Clare, as a pilot project, was not included in the 2015 rural water programme allocations; the specific criteria for the inclusion of pilot projects in the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21958/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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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. Pilot schemes were a feature of the 2013 and 2014 Rural Water Programmes in light of the increased grant level for group sewerage schemes which were announced in late 2012. However, it was decided that, with effect from 1 January 2015, responsibility for the selection and approval of individual scheme proposals for advancement and funding under the increased grant, subject to the overall priorities set by my Department and to the block grant allocations provided, would revert, as had previously been the case, back to the local authorities. Therefore, no pilot group sewerage schemes were selected by my Department for funding in 2015.

In 2014 , my Department approved a grant to Clare County Council for a Feasibility Study on the proposed Carrigaholt Group Sewerage Scheme. That study has now been completed and I understand that it would not be financially viable to design and construct the scheme as proposed and within the general terms and conditions of Group Sewerage Grant Scheme. The Council has been advised to liaise with Irish Water, who is statutorily responsible for all aspects of public water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels, on identifying and putting in place appropriate solutions to meeting the needs of the people of Carrigaholt.

My Department will be engaging separately with Irish Water on broader issues around rural water and sewerage programmes with a view to ensuring that there is appropriate integration of the Department's Rural Water Programme and Irish Water's Capital Investment Programme so as to fully support rural development and address any environmental issues that may arise. Such discussions will involve the National Federation of Group Water Schemes and local authority management.