Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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19. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to allow rural dwellers who supply their own water to be able to apply for a subsidy from the Government in respect of water charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38583/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I understand that the Deputy is referring to individual domestic water supplies more commonly known as private wells.

Funding is available under my Department’s Rural Water Programme towards the provision or necessary improvement of private wells. Local authorities were informed of the introduction of the grant scheme and the criteria to be met by way of Circular Letter L8/97 of April 1997. The terms and conditions of the scheme are set out in an Explanatory Memorandum which is available from the local authorities and on my Department’s website, the link for which will be circulated with the Official Report:.

While my Department recoups funding under the Rural Water Programme to local authorities who administer the programme for the grant scheme for the provision or necessary improvement of private wells there is no subsidy scheme for the ongoing operation of this type of water supply.

Under the Confidence and Supply Arrangement, agreed in the context of facilitating a minority government, the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2016 provides for the suspension of domestic water charges for a period of nine months from 1 July 2016. This period of suspension of charges is to allow for an ongoing deliberation process to be undertaken on the future funding model for domestic public water and waste water services. Other water elements contained in the Arrangement which relate to rural water, relate to the restoration of subsidies to Group Water Schemes to pre-2015 levels for the suspension period, multi-annual funding for the Rural Water Programmes and revised grant levels to new group water schemes and for the refurbishment of private wells.

I am pleased to say that the subsidies to Group Water Schemes have been restored to the pre-2015 levels for the suspension period, multi-annual funding for the Rural Water Programme which includes revised grant levels for new group water schemes, is in place, and examination by my Department of the grant levels for private wells is well advanced.