Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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284. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to introduce a scheme of constructed wetlands to all unsewered villages in County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8875/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Multi-annual Rural Water Programme (MARWP) is the main funding stream providing capital funding to address the challenges faced by rural dwellers with their water services. The objective of the programme is to provide the necessary funding to address infrastructure deficits that are having an impact on the provision of safe and secure water services and promote economic and social development.

There are a number of individual funding measures under the MARWP and each is directed at a specific activity including source protection, water treatment, network improvement.

In November 2024, under the current cycle of the MARWP covering the period 2024 to 2026, more than 250 individual projects across the country were approved funding of over €47 million and these projects will continue to further improve water services in rural areas.

Under the MARWP there is one specific measure that is providing funding to local authorities for projects to address the wastewater collection and treatment needs for villages and settlements without access to public waste water services. In December 2023, more than €45 million of funding was approved in principle for issue to five local authorities for projects under this measure. The approach taken was to provide the funding for demonstration projects that will inform a longer-term strategic approach. I have no plans to introduce further schemes of this kind at present.

If there are alternative approaches to wastewater treatment using constructed wetlands that are significantly more cost-effective and deliverable in a timely manner, I am open to considering these under the next MARWP which will cover the period 2027 to 2029.