Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)
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477. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the cofunding contribution expected of local authorities for the provision of wastewater infrastructure; if any support is provided to local authorities to meet these contributions given the significant financial implications for them; if his Department will assist Galway County Council with their contribution for the Craughwell and Clarinbridge projects; if this expected contribution will be reviewed given that these investments will not generate any identifiable return for local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35750/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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This Government is committed to continued and ongoing sustained and strategic investment in rural water services across Ireland.

As part of this commitment my Department is investing in rural water infrastructure to deliver improvements to water services in areas of rural Ireland where Uisce Éireann services are not currently available.

More than €243 million is provided under the National Development Plan 2021-2030, over the period 2021 to 2025, for investment in non-Uisce Éireann water infrastructure. Included in this is €50m specifically for projects to address the requirements for villages without public wastewater infrastructure.

In April 2022 under my Departments Multi-annual Rural Water Programme a dedicated funding programme was announced for the wastewater collection and treatment needs of villages without access to public wastewater services.

The measure was designed to support an initial portfolio of demonstration projects that could inform a longer-term strategic approach to the issue of wastewater infrastructure in small villages not currently served by Uisce Éireann.

In December 2023, approval in principle of some €45 million of funding was given by my Department for a number of projects under the programme including €10.4 million and €8.9 million for the Craughwell and Clarinbridge projects in Galway.

The local authorities are responsible for the delivery of the projects and under the terms of the scheme they are designated as co-funders for all projects and are responsible for contributing circa 15% of total project costs, with circa 85% of costs falling to the Department.

The local authorities are required to work in consultation with Uisce Éireann on these projects, reflecting the fact that the infrastructure being built will ultimately fall to be owned and operated by Uisce Éireann.

Since the funding announcement, each local authority and Uisce Éireann have jointly undertaken and completed a reassessment of the projects to collectively confirm the most efficient construction options and to provide certainty to the local authorities on the funding contribution required from them for each project.

Galway County Council and the other local authorities concerned have been asked to ensure that all necessary arrangements are in place and responses in this regard have been recently received by my Department. These responses will be considered over the coming weeks and decisions will be made in due course.