Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have not had an answer to this question, which is one that I imagine would concern the Minister's local authority and everyone else. If a person discovers there is pollution and suspects it comes from the local authority, whether deliberate or not - it would be highly unlikely it would be deliberate, but accidents happen - and the person wants to get something done about it, he goes to the EPA and the council then investigates the issue itself. That is my experience of the EPA. Despite the best will in the world, it is very difficult for people to investigate issues themselves. Let us imagine a member of the public makes a complaint to the EPA in the context of water quality. People in this country do not like making complaints like this, although they should be proud to do it. However, if and when they make a complaint about a council supply, they see that the council itself investigates the matter. We need to change that.