Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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83. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason his Department has consistently refused funding for a group water scheme (details supplied) in County Leitrim on a number of occasions since 2018; the reason such a successful and healthy scheme is forced into being taken over by Uisce Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18254/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department continues to invest in water and waste water infrastructure to support the development of our rural communities. Working in partnership with the key stakeholders in the sector – including the local authorities, Uisce Éireann, local communities and the Group Water Schemes, my Department is using Exchequer funding in a cost effective manner to improve the water services available to rural Ireland.

More than €243 million of funding, over the period 2021 to 2025, has been provided under the National Development Plan for non-Uisce Éireann investment in the rural water sector.

The Multi-annual Rural Water Programme (MARWP) is the primary funding stream providing capital funding to address the challenges faced by the Rural Water Sector in maintaining, renewing and developing their systems and networks.

The core purpose of the MARWP is to provide the sector with the necessary funding for projects that will improve the quality, quantity and reliability of water services and address infrastructure deficits that are having an impact on the provision of safe and secure water services to rural dwellers.

In 2019, my Department invited applications from local authorities to fund projects under the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2019-2021 (MARWP 2019-2021). An independent Expert Panel was established and tasked with critically evaluating the specifics of each application received and with making a recommendation on individual projects for my consideration.

The Panel is independent of my Department and comprises representatives of the key stakeholders in the Rural Water Sector including the Environmental Protection Agency and Uisce Éireann. In addition to providing a wider perspective and knowledge of the water sector, the Panel brings independence, openness and transparency to the application process which is done on a nation-wide prioritised basis.

In October 2019, I approved funding for a significant number of projects across the country – including a number in County Leitrim - under the MARWP 2019-2021. Many of these projects are now fully completed, while work continues and is at different stages with the more complex projects.

On 17 January 2024, I launched a new cycle of the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme for the period 2024-2026 (MARWP 2024-2026). Local authorities were invited to submit applications, under a range of funding measures, before the closing date on 12 April 2024.

My Department has received applications for funding for priority projects and is currently completing a process of validating and, where necessary, clarifying issues with the local authorities. When completed, all valid applications will be referred to the independent Expert Panel to begin the task of critically evaluating each request for funding received and making a recommendation on individual projects for my consideration.