Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department’s Multi-annual Rural Water Programme, through Exchequer funding, delivers improvements to water services in areas of rural Ireland where there are no public water services.

The Rural Water Working Group will shortly finalise the composition of the measures for inclusion for funding under the upcoming multi-annual programme.  When I have had an opportunity to consider their report, I expect to announce details of the programme priorities, along with an invitation to local authorities to submit bids, in the coming months.

An Expert Panel will then 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.

It should be noted that in April 2022, I announced an advanced element of funding of €50m of the  Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme, for the Waste Water Collection and Treatment needs of Villages and Settlements without access to public waste water services.  Local authorities have been given an opportunity to submit bids for funding.  Valid bids are currently being evaluated by the Expert Panel and I expect to be in a position to announce successful projects soon.

Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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151. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will fund the installation of water softeners in council-owned homes to protect appliances and plumbing systems from damage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5777/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966.

Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted properties are compliant with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, 2019. These Regulations specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, dampness, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light, fire safety and the safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies.

My Department does provide annual funding support to local authorities under a number of focused funding programmes, namely, Voids, Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme and the Disabled Person Grants. The selection of properties for inclusion in these programmes and nature of works to be completed in line with the criteria of the schemes is a matter for each individual local authority. The implementation of these focused programmes is separate to the local authorities' legal responsibilities to ensure rental standards are met in all their lettable housing stock in compliance with the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, 2019.