New Minister comes bearing gifts

Date Published: {J}

By Denise McNamara

The Environment Minister Phil Hogan promised a new era for local government with increased funding and greater powers given to councils to foster community development and job creation.

During a visit to the county in which Minister Hogan was answering questions from Galway County Councillors, he announced funding of €7 million for the Clifden sewerage scheme with a further €2.8 million to build the Claregalway and Milltown sewerage schemes.

He later officially opened the Luimneach upgrade for the Tuam regional water sewerage scheme extension. He also opened the Headford sewerage scheme and the Gortmaoillar voluntary housing scheme in Athenry.

Addressing the chamber, the Minister said a lot of agencies did not always coordinate well when it came to job creation and there was a lot of duplication.

“The money should follow through the local government system down to community groups. You’ll see a lot more activity through the council. The county and city enterprise boards…should work more closely with local authorities,” he told councillors.

“I’ll be bringing in proposals to achieve more devolution. The financing of local government is the key.”

He said under the IMF/EU programme for funding household charges such as water fees would be ring-fenced for local government.

Outside the meeting, the Minister acknowledged there was a need for massive investment in services in Galway.

“There is a huge infrastructural deficit in County Galway in water and sewerage services. I’m very conscious of that,” he told reporters.

“We have to meet our water framework directives. We have to have good water quality in order to do business in order to create jobs. There is a very high value tourism product in Galway and Galway city as well, I’m very conscious of that.”

Construction on the Clifden sewerage scheme has long been delayed, with paperwork holding up the much-needed infrastructure to improve bathing and drinking water. This week’s announcement should see the project begin this year.

Tenders will be now be advertised by the council and a preferred contractor decided before the department gives its final approval. Minister Hogan told councillors his department just received revised design reports for Kinvara and Loughrea water supply schemes and is currently reviewing them.

He added that he expects the Costello Regional Water Supply Scheme to go ahead this year.

He met with county manager Martina Maloney and officials for an hour in preparation for a policy statement on local government that he will be publishing in the autumn that will address issues relating to the further development and enhancement of the local government system.