Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

Access to safe, clean water and sanitation is a human right. It is a right that has been compromised for thousands of Cork city households. For the best part of two years now, brown and orange, dirty, discoloured water has poured from those taps. Eight days ago, the Tánaiste asked Uisce Éireann for a clear timeline for solving this problem. The public has heard from Uisce Éireann on a number of occasions in the past week, but there is still no timeline. It is increasingly clear that the ancient water pipes that lie beneath the ground in Cork city need to be replaced as a matter of some urgency. Uisce Éireann tells us that 54% of the pipes are cast iron and are between 65 and 100 years old. It has quoted a cost of €500 million for those pipes to be replaced. Will the Taoiseach commit to spending this money if it is the only way to fix the problem? What will happen in the meantime?

Households are spending €15 a week and more on bottled water. That is €750 a year, which is the price of two or three water charges. These households should not be forced to pay one single cent. I ask the Taoiseach to ensure they do not do so. Will he commit to coming up with a scheme to provide safe, clean water to the people in affected areas free of charge? That could involve organising tankers full of water to tour communities and stop off at distribution points; providing households with vouchers that could be exchanged in shops for bottled water; or providing households with supplies of filters to be fitted to taps. One way or the other, households have to be relieved of this financial burden in a cost-of-living crisis and safe, clean water needs to be supplied by this State.

Last Thursday night, nearly 100 people gathered outside the Church of the Ascension at Gurranabraher and marched down Cathedral Road in protest. I do not think that will be the last protest of its kind. A campaign is now under way and it can grow. The Taoiseach needs to familiarise himself with the issues here. This is a big issue in the second largest city in the State. It is not going away. The Taoiseach needs to be able to answer the question about a timetable for getting it sorted and providing the funds to do so. He also needs to be able to answer the question about emergency reliefs for households now forced to shell out large sums of money for bottled water. I look forward to his reply.

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