Mr. Michael O'Leary:

The EPA’s recommendations involve carrying out a full-risk assessment of the plant and UV treatment. Within the 30-day period in which we have to respond to the audit, we will carry out an assessment. We will discuss with the EPA the merits, or not, of having UV treatment there.

The location of the Leixlip plant, as has been referred to earlier, is downstream at the bottom of the catchment. Accordingly, UV is probably a requirement but we need to carry out the assessment. It is a major investment and we would need to be 100% sure that it is required. That assessment will be carried out.

In terms of the level of investment itself, one is looking at tens of millions of euro, as well as considerable operational costs because of the power demands of the UV system. When the assessment is complete, installing UV in a plant the size of Leixlip, with 190 Ml of water leaving the plant per day, will require planning permission and a procurement process. The best-case scenario is two to three years at this point in time.

Even if we had UV in place yesterday, we would still be in the current situation of a boil water notice because the pre-treatments, such as the sedimentation tanks and the filtration, have to be working properly for UV to be effective. UV is the final belt and braces in the treatment for cryptosporidium.