Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

What happened to the Garryhinch proposal? If it is not included, it would be a huge disaster for the project. I was involved in a previous life as a Minister of State is setting up this wonderful body called Irish Water, for which I have suffered greatly. Apart from losing my job for telling the truth, which is something that should not happen to a good politician like me, the biggest issue in setting up the organisation, which was completely ignored and which I repeated ad nauseam, at high and low level meetings, was public engagement. This is being raised again in this context. The key to this project is to sell it to the people on economic grounds, the benefit to the local community in terms of jobs, and the augmentation of the water supply for the towns between the source and Dublin.

Nationally, we do not have enough water and Dublin will not be able to deal with a significant disruption of supply or increase in demand after 2022. This is one of the most important projects in the history of the State. I acknowledge the comments of local Deputies. Every farmer, GAA club, community and individual must be aware of, and buy into, the project. There are economic issues in the context of farmers being disadvantaged with disruption to their everyday activity and land not being reinstated in a proper and acceptable condition. However, the key to this project is the social and economic benefit to communities on the route beginning with the location of the source of the water. It must be ensured there is an immediate, significant community benefit by increasing community services, and resources for schools and local health centres. Irish Water needs a plan to sell this to the people because it is so important to get it right and to get them to buy into it. That is what I wanted when Irish Water was being established in order that people understood what the benefits would be at the end of the day, but this was absent.

The key element of this project was put forward by Dublin City Council, which was the Bord na Mona proposal regarding Garryhinch. This would be a strategic reservoir which could supply the city of Dublin for a minimum period of six months uninterrupted. If all other supplies shut down, Garryhinch could supply water for a significant period. If there is a significant interruption to the Dublin water supply, how will Irish Water deal with it if Garryhinch is not included? I visited the site, which covers a huge area. The issue was properly lining the site to ensure no issue with THMs in order that the water was safe. It would be a magnificent reservoir should anything happen in the future. We do not know what will happen to the country in the future but Garryhinch would guarantee supply to Dublin, Wicklow, Kildare, Louth and so on. All these counties would benefit from the security of supply and inward investment. The high-tech jobs in Leixlip would be guaranteed forever and it would create the capacity to create more jobs.

I visited Anglian Water in England, which has reservoirs similar to the proposed reservoir at Garryhinch, although I acknowledge there is different geology and so on. A total of 1 million people have visited the reservoirs in England. The Chairman should visit them because they are strategic to the water supply for the area. The tourism spin off is magnificent, including hotels and so on. I spoke to other Deputies, including Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, about how important such a project would be because it would transform the local economy in terms of tourism and employment. A bog could become the largest lake in Europe for recreational fishing. It would have huge advantages.

I hope everyone will forgive my enthusiasm for the project and my cynicism about the way I was treated, which is a matter for other fora. I am committed to this project but if Garryhinch is not included, I would like a clear explanation. If not, can it be reconsidered? It would provide long-term security. I do not know where the abstraction for the water supply is now because it may have changed and I am not involved anymore. The key is local people must buy into this. They must want it and they must shout for it because the benefit to them will so big in terms of employment and community. If the project is sold properly, they will want it because it will be hugely beneficial to them.