Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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199. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to increase the maintenance subsidy for group water schemes for 2017 to its previous level, prior to the introduction of water and sewerage charges, in view of their temporary suspension; the existing level of subvention available per house; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10734/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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To ensure equity of treatment with households on public water supplies the subsidy rates for group water schemes were adjusted down in 2015 to reflect the new domestic water charging regime introduced on 1 January 2015.

In line with the suspension of domestic water charges for a period of nine months from 1 July 2016, as set out in the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2016, and to ensure equity of treatment with households on public water supplies, my Department advised local authorities in August 2016 that, for the duration of the suspension period, the subsidy rates were adjusted up to pre-2015 levels to reflect the suspension of domestic water charges for households connected to the public water supply.

My Department will give further consideration to the subsidies available for the operation of group water schemes in light of the Oireachtas decision on the enduring funding model for public domestic water services.

Details of the level of subsidies are available on my Department’s website at: .