IRISH WATER INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

The project consists in a multi-annual investment programme to improve the water and wastewater treatment infrastructure in Ireland.

The aim is to enhance the quality and security of water supply and wastewater collection and treatment in several locations in Ireland. It is expected that these projects will help the country to meet the goals of the water directives, notably the Urban Wastewater Directive.

The Project concerns a loan to the Irish State in relation to the co-financing of part of the capital investment plans of Uisce Éireann, the Irish State owned water company. The operation mainly concerns the extension and rehabilitation of water supply and wastewater treatment infrastructure. The investments in water supply will increase the water resilience and those in the wastewater collection and treatment will reduce pollution in water bodies. The investments will support the Promoter to maintain and achieve compliance in relation to the Water Directives. The Project contributes to the EU and EIB policy objectives of Climate Action (CA) and Environmental Sustainability (ES) and will help to finance infrastructure that improves resilience to climate change impacts and generates positive environmental and public health outcomes. These are all public goods that cannot be supplied by the market. It is expected that some investments will be located in cohesion and just transition areas. Therefore, the Project also supports the strengthening of the EU's economic, social and territorial cohesion since some components are located in Transition regions of Ireland. EIB's funding provides a diversification of the Irish sovereign external funding, which is acknowledged for its availability period and flexible drawdown modalities.

The project will contribute to ensure compliance with key EU directives in the water sector, notably the Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184/EU), the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), and the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). Where applicable, the requirements of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive 2014/52/EU, which amends the EIA Directive (2011/92/EU), and SEA Directive (2001/42/EC) will be adhered to. In such cases, before utilising any EIB funds, the promoter shall submit the EIA to EIB for publication on EIB's website. For any part of the project that may impact a nature conservation site, the Promoter shall provide EIB with information on the mitigating measures necessary to comply with the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and the Birds Directive (2009/147/EC).

The promoter shall ensure that all contracts related to project's implementation have been and will continue to be tendered in accordance with applicable EU procurement legislation, specifically Directive 2014/25/EU and Directive 92/13/EEC, as interpreted by the Court of Justice of the EU. Also, tender notices must be published in the Official Journal of the EU whenever required.