Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman for allowing me to speak. My first question is for Mr. O'Leary. In terms of Leixlip, I am familiar with the area from Leixlip to Ballycoolin as I was involved in laying the pipework going out that way. First, is there a problem with staff shortages in Leixlip? I note Irish Water has job vacancies there at the moment. Second, is a sand-type system used? I presume there is UV, chlorination and all of that on it. What was the problem with the alarms that they were not activated? Generally, they are fairly foolproof. Third, is there a problem downstream with torpidity? Torpidity will change. People need to understand, in fairness to Irish Water or any group supplying water, that the regulations have changed so much that when it goes to a certain specification, a boil water notice must be issued. Are there problems with the sewerage systems belonging to Irish Water where overflows have occurred and pressure is being put on it? That is in respect of the Leixlip set-up.

In terms of Irish Water's five-year framework, if one reads Michael Brennan's book, and I refer to Coffey Construction also, the money in that ran out over a month ago. Is there a problem with the amount of funding Irish Water needs? To put in the machinery the witnesses are talking about in Leixlip and other places throughout the country, it will need a good deal of funding. Does Irish Water need more funding to get emergency works done? It is fine for the EPA to do reports. What people need to realise is that before Irish Water was established, a part of this country, namely, Roscommon was subject to a boil water notice for ten years. Irish Water needs a lot of money. Judging by the budgets I have seen, there are many areas across the country that need major works, but to be honest, Irish Water does not seem to have the budget required for that.

Will the delegates address the leak detection issue?

When the Leixlip plant is up and running again and the boil water notice has been withdrawn, will Irish Water have scoured all of the lines from the plant that supply water to the 600,000 people affected?

The next question is for Mr. Ó Coigligh and the Irish Water representatives. The level of funding for sewage treatment plants in smaller towns has been changed this year by the Department. No funding is proposed for a plant in a small town where raw sewage might be flowing into a river because Irish Water does not have a scheme in it. The delegates must realise that where I come from, a rural area, we look after our own water supply through a group water scheme. There was a scheme for sewerage systems, but small towns and villages have been left in a position where raw sewage can flow into rivers. There are communities that are willing to come together in that regard, but because there is no Irish Water scheme in a town, there is no funding in place. We were told that Irish Water was coming up with such a scheme. Is it coming up with one?