22-12-2016
Independent TD Mattie McGrath has said statistics released to him by Minister Simon Coveney regarding the amount paid to Group Water Scheme operators confirms the absolute need to introduce exemptions IN any future water charging regime. Deputy McGrath was speaking after information he requested through a Parliamentary Question showed that there was a massive drop in Grant payments issued by the Department of Local Government to Group Water Schemes and Private Well owners from 2011-2016:
“In 2011 the Department funded all local authorities to administer the Rural Water Programme to the tune of €70,116,335.
By 2016 that amount had dropped to €20,902,851. That is an astonishing gap of almost €50 million which needs to be explained by the Minister.
In Tipperary alone during the same period there was a reduction in payments under the Rural Water Programme from €1,953,229 in 2011 to €718,558 in 2016.
We can also see from the data provided that between 2015 and 2016 the amount paid to Private Well operators was down from €92,905 to €71,407.
This is going to cause huge frustration within rural society particularly In light of the recent proposals to impose an additional de facto water tax on this sector which is ostensibly aimed at maintaining and improving the current water infrastructure.
These figures prove that more and more responsibility was being put on the Group Water Scheme operators while less and less support was being given to them from the Department over the course of the last five years.
Any national conversation we have on the water charging issue must prioritise equity for this vitally important sector within rural Ireland,” concluded Deputy McGrath.
ENDS
Question No. 200
Chun an Aire Tithíochta, Pleanála, Pobail agus Rialtais Áitiúil:
To the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government:
To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the amounts paid by his department in grants and supports for those operating private or group water schemes for each of the years 2011 to date in 2016, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Mattie McGrath.
For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 6th December, 2016.
Ref No: 38582/16
REPLY
Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (Deputy Simon Coveney)
My Department recoups funding under the Rural Water Programme to local authorities who administer the programme on behalf of my Department. This recoupment includes grants for capital works and subsidies as a contribution towards the annual operational cost of the domestic element of group water schemes and grants towards the provision or necessary improvement of individual domestic water supplies (more commonly known as private wells).
The tables below set out the amounts recouped by county under the programme over the period 2011 – 2016 as grants and subsidies for group water schemes and grants for individual domestic water supplies. There is no subsidy towards the annual operational cost of the latter.
The amounts in the tables do not include the administration and overhead costs of local authorities in administering the rural water programme (approx. €1.8m per annum) which are also recouped to local authorities by my Department.
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