Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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186. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the breakdown of all grant payment schemes available for private well owners in tabular form; the number of private wells that are grant aided by county; and the cost of these in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019. [21325/19]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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On 8 February this year, I announced details of the measures being funded through my Department under the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2019-2021. This included an improved funding scheme for individual wells (more commonly known as private or household wells).

The composition of the new multi-annual programme is based on recommendations from the Working Group that I established in April 2018 to conduct a review of investment needs and rural water services.

The changes that I have approved to the individual wells grant scheme are, as follows:

- A maximum grant for rehabilitation works of €3,000, which represents an increase of 47% on the current maximum grant amount,

- Where the local authority agrees that the most appropriate solution is to provide a new well, the maximum grant payable would be €5,000,

- Recognising the role of the grant in improving quality, the water quality treatment element (typically filtration and UV filtration) will qualify for 100% funding up to a maximum of €1,000,

- Up to 85% of other costs would be met, subject to the total combined maximum costs of €3,000 for well rehabilitation or €5,000 for a new well,

- For clarity, applicants would not be able to avail of both grant amounts, so they would not be able to avail of €3,000 for well rehabilitation as well as the €5,000 for a new well.

Work is at an advanced stage of development for the funding scheme. I expect that the process will be completed in the coming weeks when the necessary regulations dealing with the financial assistance arrangements and related administrative matters are put in place. This will enable a circular letter, terms and conditions, guidance and the application form to issue to local authorities shortly thereafter.

Two further funding measures in the new multi-annual programme are relevant to householders that are dependent on individual wells. These measures are:

- Measure 4 – New Group Water Schemes: The aim of this funding measure is to facilitate the continued expansion of the coverage of piped water supplies to the rural population through the development of new standalone, or extensions to existing, group water schemes.

- Measure 6 - Community Water Connections: This measure facilitates the continued expansion of the coverage of piped water supplies by extension off the public (Irish Water) network.

Details of these measures and the grants available for them under the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2019-2021 were notified to local authorities by my Department on 8 February 2019. Local authorities were invited to submit their bids for the funding of schemes or projects in their functional areas, with the deadline for receipt of proposals set as 14 March 2019.

The tables under set out the numbers of individual well grants and the amount of grant aid recouped by my Department to local authorities for 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 (up to 13 May 2019).

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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187. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the funding available in 2019 for new group sewerage and water schemes, respectively; the maximum grants available for each type of scheme per connection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21326/19]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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Details of the measures being funded and the grants available under my Department's Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2019-2021 were notified to local authorities on 8 February 2019.

Two funding measures in the new multi-annual programme are relevant to the question raised by the Deputy. These measures are:

- Measure 4 – New Group Water Schemes: The aim of this funding measure is to facilitate the continued expansion of the coverage of piped water supplies to the rural population through the development of new standalone, or extensions to existing, group water schemes.

- Measure 6 - Community Water and Wastewater Connections: This measure facilitates the continued expansion of the coverage of piped water supplies and wastewater by extension off the public (Irish Water) network.

Community Water and Wastewater Connections were called new public group water schemes and group sewerage schemes under previous programmes.

The following levels of grant aid will apply for schemes and projects under these two measures:

- New Group Water Schemes and Community Water Connection Networks: Grants of up to 85% of cost are available subject to a maximum grant of €7,650 per house. This means that the effective cost limit per house is €9,000. ?

- Community Wastewater Connection Networks: Grants of up to 75% of cost are available subject to a maximum grant of €6,750 per house. This means that the effective cost limit per house is €9,000.

A supplemental grant in excess of these limits can be considered but only in exceptional circumstances where full justification is provided.

Where a supplemental grant is warranted, and approved, the combined basic and supplemental grant will be limited to 90% of the cost per house and subject to minimum household contributions as follows:

- New Group Water Schemes and Community Water Connection Networks: €1,350. ?

- Community Wastewater Connection Networks: €2,250.

Local authorities were invited to submit their bids for the funding of schemes or projects in their functional areas, with the deadline for receipt of proposals set as 14 March 2019.

My Department is currently considering local authorities' bids for funding allocations. An Expert Panel has been put in place to support the evaluation process. In addition to providing an expert perspective, the Panel brings independence, openness and transparency to the bids evaluation process which is done on a national prioritised basis. The Expert Panel’s membership includes Departmental, stakeholder and independent representation. Consideration of the distribution of funding across each measure under the programme forms part of the evaluation process.

The Expert Panel will examine the bids, including on the need if relevant for supplemental grants, and make recommendations to my Department on the suitability of schemes and projects for funding based on objective criteria which are set out in the framework document issued to local authorities when proposals were requested. My Department will then consider the recommendations of the Panel, and based on these, will propose allocations for my consideration as Minister. I expect this process to be completed later in the second quarter of 2019.