Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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198. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the annual Exchequer funding provided, current and capital, for projects (details supplied); and if he would outline current policy in these areas, in tabular form. [40824/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Uisce Éireann has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. The scope, prioritisation and progression of individual projects is a matter for Uisce Éireann and is approved through its own internal governance structures.

There has been record levels of investment in water services by Uisce Éireann over the last five years with the National Development Plan committing to almost €6bn capital investment in the period from 2021-2025 of which over €4.5 billion will be Voted Exchequer funded in respect of domestic water services. Over €2.7 billion (current and capital, including €1 billon equity) is being provided to Uisce Éireann by my Department to meet the cost of water services in 2025.

The Programme for Government supports the uptake of Uisce Éireann's Small Towns and Villages Growth Programme (STVGP), which will provide growth capacity in smaller settlements that would otherwise not be provided for in Uisce Éireann’s capital investment plan. Uisce Éireann is working with local authorities across the country in ensuring the investment supports the growth of identified settlements where these are prioritised in line with the local authority development plans.

The programme was launched in summer 2021, and to date, Uisce Éireann has announced 39 projects under the programme, which are at various stages of development.

The delivery of capital projects is not dependent solely on funding and resources. Uisce Éireann must comply with the planning and consenting regime and as a body in receipt of public funding, with the relevant requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines. While Uisce Éireann allocates the necessary funding and resources to projects, it takes a number of years to bring a wastewater project through from selection to completion.

Uisce Éireann has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on a dedicated number, 0818 578 578.

In addition to the STVGP, in December 2023, I approved funding of over €45m for projects in seven villages under my Department's Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme for the Waste Water Collection and Treatment needs of Villages without access to public waste water services. There is ongoing engagement between the key stakeholders to outline and agree the next steps required to commence and deliver these projects to completion as quickly as possible.

My Department also funds the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) that works on behalf of Ireland’s 31 local authorities to protect and restore good water quality in our rivers, lakes, estuaries, ground and coastal water through catchment science and local community engagement. LAWPRO coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan.

Local authorities also undertake limited drainage maintenance works of rivers and streams, which is funded from within their own resources.