Government Funding To Assist Council In Operation Of Water And Wastewater Treatment Facilities

"I am pleased that my colleague Mr. John Gormley T.D., Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has acknowledged the additional expenditure faced by Clare County Council in maintaining and operating such facilities", stated Minister Killeen.

The Junior Agriculture Minister explained that he was very much aware of the difficulties faced by Clare County Council and other local authorities throughout the country in meeting the significant costs of maintaining and operating water and wastewater treatment facilities.

"I have raised this issue with Minister Gormley and I am delighted to see he has now taken a significant step toward alleviating this financial burden. It is important that provision be made to support Clare County Council in supporting its existing infrastructure so as to speed up the construction of necessary infrastructure elsewhere in the county", added the Clare T.D.

In recent years, special allocations have been made from the Local Government Fund to help local authorities with running costs on their water and sewerage treatment plants. This year a record EUR23.4 million is being allocated for this purpose.

According to Minister of State Killeen, "Recent years have seen record levels of investment in new water services infrastructure. There is also growing emphasis on meeting and enforcing quality standards, as reflected in new Drinking Water and Wastewater Discharge Licensing Regulations introduced in 2007. While welcome in terms of environmental payback, these measures give rise to additional running costs, which the allocations from this EUR23.4 million fund are intended to help address. Therefore, I am delighted to learn that Clare County Council will shortly receive payment of its allocation of EUR944,000."

-ENDS-

Notes to Editor:
- Tony Killeen T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (with special responsibility for Fisheries and Forestry), is available for interview and further comment on 0035387-2525304. Alternatively please contact Mark Dunphy of Dunphy Public Relations on 00353868534900 or media@dunphypr.com
- High-resolution images of Minister Killeen are available

Mark Dunphy
Dunphy Public Relations
www.dunphypr.com
media@dunphypr.com
00353-868534900