117 Mr. Reynolds asked the Minister for the Environment the names and details of the group water schemes submitted to his Department for approval in 1997; the number and details of schemes awaiting approval; and if the moneys will be allocated for these schemes in 1997. [5729/97]

From 1 January 1997 to date, 67 applications for group scheme grants in respect of the provision or upgrading of water supplies have been received in my Department. Details of these are given in Table 1. The total number of unapproved schemes in my Department is 1,159, including the 67 proposals received this year, but an indeterminate number of these could no longer be considered to be live proposals. A total of 147 schemes have reached an advanced stage of planning — the details are in Table 2.

Under the new arrangements for the devolution of responsibility for the administration of the group scheme programme, the capital provision for group scheme grants in 1997 will be allocated between local authorities having regard, among other things, to existing commitments on foot of approvals issued by my Department. Some 250 schemes have been approved to go to construction this year.

Table 1

New Group Water Scheme Proposals Received in Department of the Environment since 1/1/97