Michael Harty (Clare, Independent)
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281. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will provide the definition of multiannual programming in the rural water programme, RWP; if he will ensure that the full RWP allocations for 2017 and subsequent years are made as early as possible in the year, preferably in the first quarter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5880/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Since 2002, substantial funding has been provided under the Rural Water Programme. The main focus of the investment for a large part of this period has been on addressing issues which were highlighted in the 2002 Court of Justice ruling on drinking water.

The objective of the new Multi-annual Rural Water Programme for 2016-2018 is to provide enhanced funding certainty for priority investment needs in order to support the implementation of proper planning and sustainable development in rural areas, to meet the requirements of the Drinking Water Directive in relation to rural water supplies and to support the delivery of measures identified in River Basin Management Plans to meet the objectives of the Water Framework Directive. The three year timeline to end 2018 equates to the end of the current regulatory cycle from an Irish Water perspective, allowing for appropriate synergies to be developed between the Irish Water capital programme and the Rural Water Programme.

Under the new Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2016 - 2018 there are six different funding measures as follows:

- Measure 1 - Public health compliance (group water sector): The measure is aimed at improving water quality in existing Group Water Schemes so that they can achieve compliance with the parameters of the Drinking Water Regulations, 2014.

- Measure 2 - Enhancement of existing schemes (group water sector): This measure supports projects to make Group Water Schemes more efficient in their operation (e.g. water conservation, network upgrades and source protection).

- Measure 3 - Rural development (group water sector): This measure supports social and economic development in rural towns and villages and their hinterlands by providing newgroup water schemes where public water supply schemes or private wells are not an option.

- Measure 4 – Transition of schemes to Public Water and Waste Water Sector (Irish Water): This measure enables group water and sewerage schemes, where they wish to do so and with agreement of Irish Water, transition to the public water and waste water sector.

- Measure 5 - Innovation and Research: This measure is aimed at issues in the rural water sector which, given the major transition of water services in Ireland, require new and innovative approaches.

- Measure 6 - Individual wells and on-site wastewater treatment systems (septic tanks): This measure is aimed at allowing householders that are dependent on these services to obtain funding support for their improvement.

On 30 August 2016, I announced my Department’s 2016 block and scheme-based grant allocations to local authorities for group water and sewerage schemes. These final overall allocations for 2016 under Measures 1 to 5 of the Programme (excluding payments for Capital Replacement costs which operate on a demand-led basis) were notified in Circular Letter L6/16 (30 August 2016) to local authorities. In addition, Measure 6 continues to be demand-led.

This year will see a similar scheme-specific approach applied to Measure 1 of the programme while it is intended that Measure 2 will be block grant funded as is currently the case. My Department will soon seek bids from local authorities for Measures 1 and 2 and allocations for 2017 will follow as early as possible.

Under Measures 3, 4 and 5, an Expert Panel (convened in 2016) considered bids from local authorities for schemes for the period 2016–2018. The subsequent scheme-specific approval for schemes under these three measures brought certainty of inclusion in the programme, allowing their preparation to commence, and will enable my Department to make an early allocation of funding for them in 2017.

A copy of the Expert Panel’s report and consideration of all proposals under Measures 3, 4 and 5 of the Programme is available on my Department’s website at the following link: .