Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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109. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to issue a full report on the capacity of water and wastewater for all of the towns and villages in a county (details supplied); if the lack of progress in water and wastewater infrastructure projects will be addressed urgently given the current housing crisis; if the possibility will be explored of allowing builders and developers to construct treatment plants as part of a housing development which can be overseen by Uisce Éireann and subsequently taken into their control to allow needed house building and ensure population balance across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24800/25]

James Browne (Wexford, 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.

Uisce Éireann publishes annual water supply and waste water treatment capacity registers, details of which are available on the Uisce Éireann website at www.water.ie/connections/developer-services/capacity-registers/. These registers indicate if there is enough water supply and wastewater treatment at Uisce Éireann treatment plants to support property development.

Uisce Éireann is committed to supporting the delivery of housing through a number of actions including the timely delivery of new connections, the self-lay accreditation scheme and delivery of the first mover disadvantage scheme.

Uisce Éireann is committed to working with Developers, to ensure that our housing needs are met and our water supply is protected. Where new developments are being considered, Uisce Éireann’s dedicated team is available to provide information and guidance on water capacity in the area.

Work is underway between my Department, Uisce Éireann, and other stakeholders, to set out the conditions that must be complied with to allow for planning consent for appropriate infrastructure, where existing public (Uisce Éireann) wastewater facilities are not available. The required guidance will be incorporated into a National Planning Statement on wastewater services/infrastructure under s.25 of the Planning and Development Act 2024.

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.