Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Higgins. I will take the next slot now. Deputy McAuliffe covered the Housing for All strategy and all of the work that went into that very well. I will not go through that again.

I wanted to concentrate on water and water services, especially in programme B. I note that if we do not look after our water supplies and wastewater treatment, one cannot have any houses or development. Water is critical to that and I am glad to see the funding in place for that.

The Minister visited us in Wicklow at the official opening of the Vartry Water Treatment Plant there. I note that the Environment Protection Agency has announced that 130,000 people have been taken off the remedial action list because of the investment in that facility. That is critical.

I also pay tribute here, while I have the opportunity, to Ned Fleming who is the caretaker of that facility and is an absolute legend in water treatment throughout Wicklow and no doubt across Ireland and I wish him well. I do not know if he is retired but I believe he is headed in that direction.

I know that the river basin management plan is into phase 3 now. I remember when that started way back in order that we could meet the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC. That is also a positive.

The Arklow wastewater treatment plant is also a very significant investment in Arklow for which we have waited a very long time. I see the latest photographs and we receive regular updates from Irish Water on that. That site has been cleared now since the date we were down there for its official launch. That will be critical to improving the quality of the water and the marine environment around Arklow and Arklow Harbour. I remember many years ago when the investment was made in Shanganagh wastewater treatment plant, when I believe the former Minister, John Gormley, was in office. That actually allowed Bray to win its blue flag back a number of years later.

There are a whole range of benefits that accrue to society, including in health, tourism and quality of life, when one has good wastewater treatment and drinking water. It is not something that gets attention much of the time because pipes in the ground are not things that really excite people too much but they are very important.

I wish to raise one issue on B.7, the legacy water environmental issues and possibly B.4, the rural water programme. I have a situation in north Wicklow in an area that was once probably rural but because of urbanisation is now an urban area around which much housing has been built. This relates to a number of houses which are on individual septic tanks and the mains foul water network is now running past. What is in place for those areas, which would not be classed as rural as they are urban now but would have been rural at one stage, to try have these taken on board? What funding does that come under? Is it the rural water programme or does it come under legacy water environmental issues?