John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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487. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the amount of funding allocated by the State to Irish Water under both capital and current expenditures in each year since its establishment up to and including the budgeted allocation for 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51218/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. State funding allocated to Irish Water since its inception in 2014, including the estimate for 2022, is set out in the table below:

* Includes €758m and €238m respectively for 2019 and 2020 in respect of State funding from the Minister for Finance for the replacement of commercial borrowings, and €130m and over €134m for State borrowing allocations in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

As part of Budget 2022, I secured funding of over €1.57 billion to support water services. This includes €1.459 billion in respect of domestic water services provision by Irish Water. The National Development Plan (NDP) 2021-2030 commits to almost €6bn capital investment to be undertaken by Irish Water in the period from 2021-2025 of which over €4.5 billion will be Voted Exchequer funded in respect of domestic water services. The overall investment will deliver significant improvements in our public water and waste water services, support improved water supplies right across Ireland, including rural Ireland, and support a range of programmes delivering improved water quality in our rivers, lakes and marine area.

John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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488. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he plans to reintroduce the grant aid scheme for the provision and maintenance of private water wells for individual houses following on from the decision by the previous Government to remove water charges and thus ensure a levelling of costs for all householders with regard to the provision of potable water to dwellings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51221/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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A grant for the provision or improvement of individual water supplies came into operation on 30 April 1997.  The objective of the grant scheme was to assist households, dependant on private individual water supplies, who were incurring capital expenditure to:

- provide a piped supply of water for domestic purposes for the first time, or

- remedy serious deficiencies in an existing supply of water for domestic purposes. 

Under the Housing (Private Water Supply Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020, the grant scheme was revised. The revised scheme forms part of the funding investment under the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme 2019-2021.

The revised scheme, which opened for applications on 4 June 2020, brought into effect the following changes:

- A maximum grant for rehabilitation works of €3,000, an increase of 47% on the previous maximum grant level of €2,031.

- A maximum grant of €5,000 was introduced, in cases where the local authority agrees that the most appropriate solution is to provide a new well.

- The maximum percentage of approved costs was increased from 75% to 85%, subject to the total maximum costs of either €3,000 for well rehabilitation or €5,000 for a new well.

In addition, in recognition of the role of the grant in improving quality, the water quality treatment element (typically filtration and UV treatment) qualifies for 100% funding, up to a maximum of €1,000.  This grant can be claimed on its own or in addition to either the grant for rehabilitation works or the grant for a new well.

In implementing the revised arrangements, my Department has undertaken to conduct a review of the grant scheme after at least one year of operation to ensure its continued alignment with policy objectives. The specifics of this review have not yet been formalised, however, it is anticipated that relevant stakeholders will be consulted e.g. local authorities etc. as appropriate. In considering an indicative timeframe for the review, consideration will be given to the most appropriate period in order to ensure best engagement from relevant stakeholders.