Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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259. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the ‘Evaluation of applicability of the water reuse regulations in Ireland’ consultation which was awarded a tender in 2023, and due to be completed in early 2024; to provide details of the results and recommendations of the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18093/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The EU Water Reuse Regulations, came into effect in June 2023, these Regulations seek to facilitate and encourage the practice of reusing treated wastewater for irrigation in agriculture. My Department undertook an ‘Evaluation of the Applicability of the Water Reuse for Agricultural Irrigation in Ireland’.

The evaluation concluded that water reuse for agricultural irrigation using treated wastewater from urban wastewater treatment plants is not utilised in Ireland as agricultural irrigation is not currently employed in an extensive way in Ireland due to sufficient precipitation levels relative to required demand.

However, in the context of a changing water environment, the assessment determined that there are geographic areas where water reuse for agricultural irrigation may be suitable in the future. Ahead of future reporting rounds under the EU Water Reuse Regulations there are a number of steps for consideration these include:

• Research to identify areas suitable for water reuse in agricultural irrigation.
• Pilot projects to evaluate water reuse in an Irish context not captured in international studies.
• Further stakeholder engagement to better understand concerns about and perceptions of water reuse and develop strategies to address those issues.