Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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290. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the discussions he is progressing with Irish Water and the local authorities with a view to the taking in charge of malfunctioning sewerage plants serving estates that are otherwise ready to be taken in charge. [8859/16]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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I refer to the reply to Question No. 459 of 20 April 2016. My Department issued Circular letter FPS3/2016 on 22 April 2016 advising each local authority of the indicative level of funding proposed to be made available to them through the new National Taking In Charge Initiative (NTICI). The €10m being made available in 2016 is distributed across the following three measures:

- Measure 1 (€5.5m) for housing estates not containing developer provided water services infrastructure;

- Measure 2 (€3.5m) for housing estates served by developer provided water services infrastructure; and

- Measure 3 (€1m) for technical assistance to advance knowledge for the delivery of the taking in charge process.

The deadline for receipt of applications from local authorities for funding is 13 May 2016. My Department is currently finalising oversight arrangements to ensure the efficient operation of the NTICI, which will involve representatives of my Department, Irish Water, the Environmental Protection Agency and local authorities.

The NTICI will also build upon an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in place between local authorities and Irish Water which covers the taking in charge process and capital investment provisioning by Irish Water to support its role within the overall process.

It is intended that the experience and learning from the operation of the NTICI over the course of 2016 will point the way forward in relation to how to progress the taking in charge of estates from which applications are currently in hand.