Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1477. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to provide a detailed progress report in regard to the €6 million in funding that was announced by his Department on 7 December 2023 for the long overdue sewerage scheme for Beaufort village, County Kerry; if he will explain the lack of progress to date and confirm when will work commence on this long overdue wastewater treatment plant; when will the work be completed; when will the scheme be commissioned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41669/25]

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1478. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when work will commence on a scheme for which funding was announced over 19 months ago by his Department; his views on whether this is now a major health and safety issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41671/25]

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1488. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government for a detailed progress report regarding the €6 million in funding that was announced by his Department on 7 December 2023 for the overdue sewerage scheme for Beaufort village, County Kerry; the reason Uisce Éireann is responding that it will take another seven years to complete, bring the completion time of a sewerage scheme in a small village to ten years; the reason for the lack of progress to date; when will work commence; when the work will be completed; when will the scheme be commissioned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41848/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1477, 1478 and 1488 together.

In December 2023, my Department approved, in principle, almost €6 million in funding for a new wastewater treatment scheme for Beaufort Village, County Kerry. This funding was provided under Measure A8 of the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme, which supports the development of wastewater infrastructure in villages that are not currently served by Uisce Éireann. The measure aims to address public health risks, protect water quality, and enable sustainable rural development.

This scheme is part of a broader pilot approach to support demonstration projects in rural villages like Beaufort. The lessons learned from these projects will help shape future national policy for the provision of wastewater services in rural communities not currently served by Uisce Éireann.

Responsibility for the planning and delivery of the Beaufort scheme rests with Kerry County Council. The Council is required to bring the project forward in close consultation with Uisce Éireann, reflecting the fact that the infrastructure being built will be owned and operated by Uisce Éireann.

Following the funding announcement, Kerry County Council and Uisce Éireann have jointly completed a detailed reassessment of the project to identify the most cost-effective construction solution and to provide certainty on the respective financial contributions required to complete the project.

My Department subsequently asked the Council to confirm that all necessary technical, financial and governance arrangements are now in place to allow the project to proceed. That response has now been received and is under active review and I expect to issue a decision shortly.