Kevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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268. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to grant funding in relation to the cases of persons (details supplied); and if his attention has been drawn to the ongoing hardship being imposed on the persons concerned. [11453/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ballyduff Upper Group Water Scheme, a small existing three house scheme located on the Cork – Waterford border, was included by Cork County Council in its 2016 bids under Measure 3 of the Multi-Annual Programme Rural Water 2016–2018. 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. An Expert Panel was convened by my Department to examine the 2016 bids from local authorities for projects under a number of the programme’s measures, including Measure 3, and to make recommendations to the Department on funding. However, following examination of the bids under this measure by the Panel, the Ballyduff Group Water Scheme was not recommended for funding under the programme. My Department accepted the recommendations of the Panel in full in making final overall funding allocations in 2016 to local authorities.

A copy of the Expert Panel's report and consideration of all proposals under the Programme for 2016 for are available on my Department’s website at the following link:

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As part of this year’s funding process under the programme, my Department will consider bids from local authorities for schemes for the period 2017–2018 for certain Measures. For example, Measure 1 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. It is a matter for Cork County Council to consider including the scheme in its bids.