Drogheda East Fianna Fáil County Council candidate James Carroll has welcomed the announcement of €975,000 for Group Water Schemes in Co. Louth.

Michéal Kitt, the Minister for Local Services, a junior Minister at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government published his Department’s 2009 Rural Water Programme this week.

Minister Kitt announced allocations totalling €100m for a range of new and improved rural water infrastructure, mainly to improve drinking water quality in community owned group water schemes.

“There are as many as 5,500 group schemes throughout the country providing drinking water for over 170,000 households, as well as for farms and other local businesses,” James added.

“€675,000 has been allocated for small Public Water and Sewerage Schemes in Co Louth.  This vital piece of funding will see a visible improvement in the quality of water.”

“€40,000 has also been allocated for the takeover of Group Water Schemes by Louth’s local authorities,” he said.

“Specific funding has also been ring-fenced for Group Water Scheme Network upgrading totalling €170,000.  This is a sizeable amount and should make a real difference for people on Group Water Schemes here in County Louth”, concluded James Carroll.

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Appendix:

Details of the allocations in County Louth are as follows:

ENDS