Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 783 and 784 together.

The questions refer to Sliabh Dubh and Drumakelly in County Monaghan specifically but I understand it to relate more generally to housing estates that are not taken in charge and are dependent on developer provided water services infrastructure (DPI) for the provision of their water services. These estates do not have their water services connected to the public (Uisce Éireann) network.

I can confirm that €68.5 million has been allocated under the National Development Plan, for the period 2021-2025, to fund the resolution of legacy water services issues including DPI issues. Through my Department’s Developer Provided Water Services Infrastructure Resolution Programme, funding is being provided for the progressive resolution of DPI.

The focus of the first tranches of funding under the programme is on estates where the solution is to connect their water services to the public networks. A study completed by Uisce Éireann in 2022, is assisting in developing appropriate solutions for estates such as Drumakelly and Sliabh Dubh, that due to distance, it may not be viable to connect them to the public network.

Although it will take a number of funding programmes, my Department is committed to progressively resolving all DPI issues to enable the taking in charge of these estates.