The objective of this priority is:
"to contribute to the sustainable development of urban and rural areas and the protection and enhancement of the urban and rural environment and the protection of surface and groundwater from pollution. The priority will also stimulate energy efficiency, renewable energy deployment and the integration of sustainable energy practices into public policies"
The rationale for this priority is outlined in chapter 4. The Drinking Water Directive (98/83/EC) on the quality of water intended for human consumption places a number of obligations on Member States, principally a requirement to ensure that water intended for human consumption is wholesome and clean. Significant investment has taken place under the NDP/CSF 2000-2006 on water services infrastructure. Complementary niche investment is needed to protect vulnerable sources from point and diffuse sources of pollution. Rural drinking water quality deficiencies primarily exist where water is provided through private group water schemes, which depend on rivers, lakes or boreholes for their source of supply.
Production of energy from renewable sources along with energy conservation measures makes a positive environmental contribution by protecting existing environmental assets and decreasing reliance on other harmful energy sources.
Intervention: Rural Water Source Protection
It is proposed to provide funding towards source protection initiatives for the protection and enhancement of sources used for the abstraction of drinking water with an emphasis on high risk locations. It will apply the lessons of pilot projects undertaken in 2006 in implementing effective and workable source protection investments to protect valuable raw water sources. This intervention will complement the on-farm waste management measures and the on-farm rural environmental protection measures proposed under Axes 1 and 2 respectively of the Rural Development Programme 2007-13.
Intervention: Pilot Village Sewerage Systems
Many small rural villages/communities do not have any waste water collection and treatment systems in place. An integrated strategy is required to protect rural drinking water sources and to deal with the waste water treatment needs of communities depending on these sources. This provides a rationale for the expansion of the collective sewerage treatment facilities in rural settlements. This intervention will provide funding towards the expansion of the collective sewerage treatment facilities in rural settlements. This is a sustainable cost efficient method based around the Septic Tank Effluent Drainage System (STEDS), whereby filtered effluent is discharged to a small treatment facility for final treatment. The added value of this pilot initiative will derive from its demonstration effects for mainstream investment programmes.
Intervention: Water Supply and Waste Water Treatment
The rationale underpinning Priority 2 of the OP as set out in section 4.5 is that the provision of environmental services such as waste water treatment and water supply facilities can strengthen the synergies between environmental protection and economic growth. In line with this, consideration a number of strategic projects under the Water Services Investment and Rural Water Programmes will be supported in the OP. These projects will enhance the capacity of selected locations for business and employment growth and creation.
Intervention: Water Conservation
Water conservation works are a practical and environmentally sustainable way of meeting the extra demand for water that will arise. Finding additional water supply capacity through leakage control and better supply system management facilitates urban renewal, reduces environmental pressures from extra abstraction at source and complements wider capital investment in new water services infrastructure throughout the BMW region. This intervention will reduce unaccounted for water in urban centres through water management and mains rehabilitations, and will provide an environmentally sustainable approach to infrastructure needs.
Intervention: Natural and Cultural Heritages
This intervention will support the construction of Visitor Centres for Ballycroy National Park near the Castlebar-Ballina Hub and at Clara Bog Nature Reserve near the Athone-Tullamore-Mullingar Gateway; and also support the conservation restoration and upgrading of cultural (built) heritage sites in designated urban and rural areas in order to better present each site and manage visitor numbers. The works will, enhance the attractiveness of locations in the region to visitors, promote the sustainable enjoyment of the natural and cultural heritage and improve the quality of the built environment.
Intervention: Waste Management
This intervention will support investment by local authorities in waste recovery and recycling infrastructure for municipal and other waste, to be developed in accordance with integrated regional and local waste management plans. It will reduce reliance on waste disposal and facilitate waste recovery and recycling, thereby enabling the region to achieve the ambitious target that 10% or less of waste is consigned to landfill.
Intervention: Renewable Energy
The efficient use of energy from more sustainable energy sources and the integration of sustainable energy principles into urban development are the principal aims of this intervention. It is designed to assist Ireland in devising and implementing the most effective means to reduce its reliance on imported fossil fuels and their associated greenhouse gas emissions, thus helping to meet Ireland’s Kyoto commitments.
The Sustainable Energy intervention will fund market and technological innovation to help structure a fertile environment for energy efficiency and renewable energy generation. Its promotional component will assist the stimulation of energy efficiency and wider uptake of uptake of renewable energy sources. Financial support will be made available through a suite of schemes with clear aims and objectives for the stimulation of energy efficiency, renewable energy production, the development of efficient energy management systems, and for the promotion of clean and sustainable public transport, particularly in urban areas.
The intervention will pilot renewable energy generation demonstrations and focus market interest in energy efficiency, whilst developing and maintaining a supportive institutional framework to ensure continuity of action. It will also focus on the integrated development of best-practice renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and practices and demonstrate their feasibility and their integration with transport in Sustainable Development Zones.
Investment in the sustainable energy sector during 2007-2013 will focus on the following priority measures:
1. Energy efficiency first measures: The focus is placed on preparatory action which will enable the later stages of, and go beyond the Government formal targets under the Energy Efficiency Action Plan which is required for the Energy Services Directive.
2. Renewable energy deployment measures: The primary focus will be on addressing barriers to the large-scale deployment of wind, the emerging potential and deployment of small scale biomass and the integration of bio-fuels, together with preparatory action on ocean energy and deployment of other technologies such as solar and geothermal technologies.
3. Integration and innovation measures: Integrating sustainable energy practices and structures into public policies and the development of regional and national infrastructures is the core objective. There will be two sets of activities: the integration of sustainable energy policy measures at a regional and city level, and the smaller-scale piloting, demonstration, and evaluation of sustainable energy technology options, including those in the renewable energy, energy efficiency and urban transport areas.
Indicative activities to be supported are as follows:
Stimulate Energy Efficiency First
The promotion of fuel efficient vehicles through the provision of a number of Low Emission and High Efficiency transport vehicles.
The delivery of an Industrial Best Practice Initiative targeting small and medium enterprises that supports investments that demonstrate the use of best-practice energy saving equipment and processes that address gaps in energy efficiency.
The development of a ‘Green Office and Public Buildings’ demonstration programme that supports public sector and commercial organisations to innovatively apply more sustainable energy design strategies, technologies and services in new and retrofit projects. This Programme will support generic design studies and model new and retrofit building projects.
Renewable Energy Deployment
A Renewable Energy Research Development and Demonstration Programme that adopts an aggressive technology-led approach to renewable resolving technology and market barriers such as energy storage and demand management in the electricity sector. Innovative plug-in hybrid vehicles and smart metering technology will be considered for support.
The development of a CHP and Bioheat Boiler Deployment Programme to assist in the deployment of small-scale fossil fired CHP, and biomass CHP and heating systems in industrial, commercial and public sectors.
The establishment of a Green Buildings Information Office (GBIO) that promotes the use of renewable technologies and resources in an energy efficient setting and provides information and advice on related financial, social and technical issues.
Integration and Innovation
The integration of sustainable energy policy measures at a regional or “gateway town “ level through Sustainable Development Zones (SDZs) that will embrace a combination of all building types across all economic sectors including, industry, institutional, leisure, commercial and industrial buildings. This will be a flagship initiative within the Regional OP with high visibility and will demonstrate in a comprehensive, integrated manner new approaches to urban design, transport, energy efficiency, deployment of renewable energy etc in existing urban settings.
The promotion of Public Sector Innovation through direct participation in infrastructure and service development including public/private partnership.
Performance Indicators (note 61)
Indicator Class |
Indicator |
Baseline | Final Target (2013) |
OUTPUT |
No. of new water treatment plants |
0 |
23 |
|
No. of energy schemes introduced (note 62) |
0 |
8 |
|
No. of visitors to 2 new National Park Visitors Centres |
0 |
35,000 |
RESULT |
Population equivalent served by new water treatment plants | 0 |
27,327 |
|
No. of organisations substantially engaged in energy-related projects (note 63) |
0 |
972 (note 64) |
|
Additional jobs created at National Park Visitor Centres |
0 |
10 |
Intermediary Bodies
The Intermediary bodies for the interventions under this priority will include:
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
Sustainable Energy Ireland
Beneficiaries
The beneficiaries of EU co-financed assistance under this priority will include:
Local Authorities
Group Water Schemes
Public transport providers
Businesses
Heritage Council
Public Bodies
Relevance to Earmarking
The operations envisaged under the renewable energy intervention are eligible for consideration as contributing towards the Lisbon objectives (see Annex 7).
In accordance with Article 56(3) of the General Structural Funds Regulation, new expenditure added at the moment of revision of an operational programme [...] shall be eligible from the date of submission to the Commission of the request for revision of the operational programme.
1. The impact of the operational programme revision submitted on 15th July 2009 in terms of the geographic scope of Priority 2 is summarised as follows:
Priority 2 is extended to include Gateways and Hub Towns for the following interventions: water supply and waste water treatment, water conservation, natural and cultural heritage and waste management
Priority 2 extends the range of interventions for rural areas to include water conservation, natural and cultural heritage and waste management.
2. The impact of the Operational Programme revision in terms of the eligibility dates is that new expenditure considered eligible from 15th July 2009 only, is as follows:
Water conservation, natural and cultural heritage and waste management in rural areas
Water supply and waste water treatment, in Gateways or Hub towns
The eligibility date for Priority 2 interventions in the Gateway and Hub towns in the areas of water conservation, natural and cultural heritage and waste management (previously included under Priority 3) remains 1 January 2007.
The eligibility date for Priority 2 interventions in relation to water supply and waste water treatment in rural areas remains 1 January 2007
Note 61 Where feasible, core indicators recommended in the Methodological Working Paper on Monitoring and Evaluation have been used
Note 62 This refers to the number of intervention schemes introduced by Sustainable Energy Ireland in promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment
Note 63 This refers to the number of public and private organisations that have engaged with SEI funded schemes to undertake energy audits or invest in energy efficiency or renewable energy technologies
Note 64 This represents 30% of the national target of 3,240
