Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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401. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government to provide funds in 2016 for new sewerage distribution and treatment plants in towns and villages that do not have these services; the amount of the provision for such work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10249/16]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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403. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the number of houses that do not have a supply of water from either a public supply or through a Group Water Scheme; if he will provide a service to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10251/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 401 and 403 together.

Since 1 January 2014 Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels, including the delivery of water services capital infrastructure.

The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 requires Irish Water to put in place a Water Services Strategic Plan (WSSP). The WSSP outlines the strategic direction for Irish Water over the short, medium and long-term time frames up to 2040. It identifies and prioritises the key objectives required to ensure that smaller towns and villages are appropriately supported by water services infrastructure. Irish Water published the WSSP in October 2015 and this is available online at: .

Irish Water's Capital Investment Plan (CIP) 2014-2016 outlines a number of priorities to be delivered including improving water quality, tackling leakage, improving capacity and investing for economic development and it identifies where Irish Water considers investment in infrastructure is necessary for the effective performance of its functions. This plan is available online at:

A successor CIP has been prepared by Irish Water and the Commission for Energy Regulation is expected to issue a consultation paper on this plan later this year.

During 2015, my Department established a working group involving key stakeholders in the rural water sector to address the development of the sector within the overall water reform programme to ensure that the programme responds effectively to current and future needs. Local authorities, the Water Services Transition Office, Irish Water, the National Federation of Group Water Schemes and my Department are represented on the working group. One of the tasks of the group is to ensure 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.

The working group is also considering a number of areas where there are potential boundary issues with Irish Water or legacy issues which need to be addressed and new approaches in this area will be informed by a number of demonstration projects or pilot schemes, including in relation to the provision of new group sewerage schemes by communities.

In January 2016, my Department wrote to local authorities advising them of the new approach to the funding of group water and sewerage schemes for 2016 and beyond under the rural water programme. This will ultimately lead to the development of appropriate prioritised lists of schemes for funding and a series of demonstration projects which will assist in further evolving the programme of investment. Details of the new multi-annual programme are available on my Department’s website at

My Department is currently considering local authorities' bids for funding and allocations to authorities under the new programme will be provided shortly. €17.535 million is the amount of money allocated to this programme in 2016.

The 2011 Census results indicated that 163,612 dwellings had their water supplied through sources other than public or group water scheme supplies. Funding is available under my Department’s Rural Water Programme towards the provision of water supplies by group water schemes and towards the provision or necessary improvement of an individual water supply in a house. Information on these schemes is available from the local authorities.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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402. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the funds available in 2016 for the extension or establishment of group water schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10250/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In January 2016, my Department wrote to local authorities advising them of the new approach to the funding of group water and sewerage schemes for 2016 and beyond under the Rural Water Programme. This will ultimately lead to the development of appropriate prioritised lists of schemes for funding and a series of demonstration projects which will assist in further evolving the programme of investment. Details of the new multi-annual programme are available on my Department’s website at

My Department is currently considering local authorities' bids for funding and allocations to authorities for funding under the new programme will be provided shortly. €17.5 35 million is the amount of money allocated to this programme in 2016.