FEOGA grants for group water schemes
The Minister outlined FEOGA grants previously allocated and paid to group water schemes, noting that schemes are no longer eligible under the cited regulation. In follow-up, he said group schemes are not limited to rural areas, though Dublin is unlikely to have one; remaining questions were deferred to the next sitting.
(Cavan-Monaghan) asked the Minister for the Environment the grants at present available for group water schemes from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund, the changes if any, regarding these grants and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Comment on this
Under Regulation 17/64/EEC, grants were formally available to group water schemes from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund. These were generally known as FEOGA grants and such grants totalling £1.18 million have been allocated to 99 group water schemes to date. FEOGA grant instalments totalling £170,003 have been paid in respect of 31 schemes and the balance of the outstanding grants will be paid by the EEC Commission on submission of additional claims on behalf of the groups involved. Group water schemes are no longer eligible for FEOGA aid under Regulation 17/64/EEC except in the case of 101 group schemes for which applications were lodged with the EEC Commission on or before 31 December 1978. The decision of the EEC Commission on these applications is awaited.
The EEC have recently proposed a new regulation for a common measure for the improvement of public amenities, including rural water supplies, in 12 western countries, including Cavan and Monaghan. Under the proposed Regulation group water schemes might qualify for FEOGA grants covering up to 40 per cent of the total cost of eligible schemes. I cannot say at this stage when the EEC are likely to formally adopt the proposed regulation.
Comment on this
Is there any possibility that any of these grants might be in any circumstances applicable to areas in urban centres?
Comment on this
We are on to the next question now where we are talking about group water schemes in general. I want to know are they exclusively rural?
Comment on this
The city of Dublin would be unlikely to have group water schemes because that is the concern of the Dublin County Council. Group water schemes are more common in the country but if there is a group water scheme in or around Dublin there would have been no reason in the past why it should not qualify.