Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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280. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to ensure that all orphan group water schemes, that is, schemes that no longer have trustees and are connected to the Irish Water supply, are brought up to standard and taken in charge by Irish Water; the estimated number of such schemes in the country; the estimated cost of doing this work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7245/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department’s Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme includes a measure to provide funding to enable existing Group Water Schemes, including ‘orphan’ schemes, to progressively transition to the public water sector and be taken in charge by Irish Water.

In the Programme for 2019-2021, over 150 taking in charge projects, including ‘orphan’ schemes, were allocated funding of over €14.4 million, benefiting circa 15,300 households. This funding amounted to over 26% of the funding allocated under the Programme in 2019. The projects account for over 50% of the larger Public Group Water Schemes, those that are regulated under the Drinking Water Regulations 2014.

The funding demonstrates a significant commitment under the Programme to the progressive taking in charge of schemes where they wish to do so through a continuous, and on a priority basis, active taking in charge process. The Programme fully funds the cost associated with taking in charge to encourage take up.

Group Water Schemes are community-owned and community-run. The day-to-day management of my Department’s Rural Water Programme including taking in charge of group water schemes has been devolved to the local authorities. Currently my Department is awaiting a report regarding the governance and long term resourcing of the Rural Water Sector. The report will include data on all Group Water Schemes, including ‘orphan’ schemes. I expect the final Report will be with my Department in early Q2.

The taking in charge of group water schemes is demand led and continuously evolving, therefore, the full cost of the work cannot be accurately estimated. The work involved to bring each individual project to the basic standard required by Irish Water for taking in charge differs greatly due to multiple factors, including; the age, condition and location of these schemes. Estimated costs are prepared for projects as part of the bids process for each Programme.

It will take a number of funding Programmes to fully resolve ‘orphan’ schemes through taking in charge. However, significant progress has been made under the 2019-2021 funding Programme by local authorities and Irish Water working in partnership and that work is ongoing and continuing.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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281. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he plans to radically increase the grants for new group water schemes that will be connected to the existing Irish Water network to help eliminate the proliferation of persons around the country depending on private, variable sources of private water; the estimated costings for the provision of new connections and provision of new water pipes based on Irish Water charges for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7246/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department's Multi-annual Rural Water Programme includes a measure for the development of Community Water Connections (formerly called Public Group Water Schemes). This measure enables the further expansion of the public water distribution network as extensions to the existing Irish Water network in areas where a Group Water Scheme or private wells are not viable options. The estimated costs of such extensions can vary greatly depending on terrain conditions.

Investment under the measure, where it is technically and economically viable to do so, supports social and economic development and living standards in rural towns and villages and their hinterlands and promotes sustained improvements in the quality of water in the rural environment.

In April 2018, a Working Group was established to conduct a review of the wider investment needs relating to rural water services. The Group's aim is to recommend measures to ensure an equality of outcome between those who receive water services from Irish Water and non-Irish Water customers.

The terms of reference of the review provide for a two-strand approach. Strand 1 is considering the composition and distribution of funding for the upcoming Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme. Strand 2 is considering the more complex longer-focus issues surrounding the long-term future resourcing of the Rural Water Sector.

The Working Group is currently finalising a report on Strand 1 of its deliberations. The report, to be finalised in coming weeks, will make recommendations on the measures to be considered for funding under the upcoming multi-annual programme. The report will give consideration to the appropriate level of grant funding under each measure. Once I have received the report and had an opportunity to consider its recommendations, I expect to announce details of the programme priorities and an invitation to local authorities to submit bids will follow.

Following the receipt of bids, an Expert Panel will evaluate all appropriate bids, and based on the recommendations of the Panel a report will be submitted for my consideration and approval later this year.