Upper Liffey Valley sewerage scheme
The Minister has sanctioned £828,000 for phase 1, with plant tenders approved and civil tenders under examination. Power urges progress on phase 1, phase 2 to serve Droichead Nua, Sallins and Clane, citing housing delays and unemployment; Reynolds says no further-stage proposals are before the Department and will relay the concern.
asked the Minister for Local Government when he expects to be in a position to sanction stage 1 and stage 2 of the Upper Liffey Valley regional sewerage scheme.
Comment on this
I have sanctioned a loan of £828,000 to finance the construction of phase 1 of stage 1 of this scheme which consists of the new treatment works at Oberstown, Naas, and other works. I have also approved the acceptance of tenders for the mechanical plant needed. Tenders for the civil works should shortly be submitted to my Department. There are no proposals for a further stage of this scheme before my Department.
Comment on this
No doubt the Parliamentary Secretary is aware that detailed programmes and estimated costs for the Upper and Lower Liffey Valley schemes, were submitted to his Department on 13th July, 1973, and that stage 1, phase 2 would bring in Droichead Nua, Sallins and Clane where a huge number of planning applications are held up because of the inability of the present sewerage system to cope with extra houses. Does the Parliamentary Secretary not feel that it would be money well spent to allow this go ahead and give immediate employment in the area?
Comment on this
No proposals for stage 2 of the scheme—which will serve Kilcullen and Ballymore Eustace —have been submitted to the Department. That is the information I have here.
Comment on this
Stage 2 will cover Kilcullen and Ballymore Eustace. But I am referring to stage 1, phase 2, which concerns extension works in Droichead Nua, Sallins and Clane, which are of vital importance in an area depressed by unemployment at present.
Comment on this
The revised estimated cost of phase 1 is £828,000— May, 1976 prices—and a loan for this amount was sanctioned on 30th November, 1976. Tenders for the mechanical treatment plant and sludge pressing were approved on 1st April, 1977 in sums of £55,592 and £151,469 respectively. Tenders for the civil works contract are at present being examined by the consulting engineers.
Comment on this
To clarify matters, when we raised this at county council level we were given to understand that availability of finance determined the priorities. It was the unanimous feeling of all members of all parties in the county that money spent on this scheme would provide immediate employment in the area. I should like to impress that on the Parliamentary Secretary.