Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh na finnéithe go dtí an cruinniú. Tá an córas seo iontach cuidiúil agus gabhaim buíochas leo as sin. Labhróidh mé faoi thogra i mo cheantar féin, Carraig Airt, atá i gceantar na Gaeltachta. D’fhógair an Rialtas togra do 35 teach sa cheantar seo in 2018 agus €3 milliún an méid airgid a bhí i gceist ag an am. Bhí sé sin cúig bliana ó shin agus tá ceist mhór agam faoi seo. Labhair mé leis na daoine uilig agus na stiúrthóirí i gComhairle Contae Dhún na nGall. Tá cead pleanála socraithe. Tá an togra séarachais ar an scéim ó Uisce Éireann. Níl fadhb ar bith leis an gcead pleanála ná leis an scéim ach tá an conraitheoir ag fanacht ar an solas glas le cúig bliana.

Tá argóint agus díospóireacht ar siúl sa Dáil inniu le polaiteoirí ar thaobh amháin ag troid leis na polaiteoirí ar an taobh eile faoi cad é an bealach is fearr do chúrsaí tithíochta.

Is sampla é seo ar an talamh. Tá Uisce Éireann ar aon intinn leis an gcomhairle contae ach tá muidne ag fanacht ar an solas glas le thart ar cúig bliana anuas. Níl sé sin ceart. Tá a lán daoine ar an liosta feithimh sa chontae agus i mo pharóiste féin agus tá daoine ann atá ag smaoineamh ar bhogadh ar ais chuig an bparóiste. Tá an t-éileamh ann ach níl an tithíocht ann. An cheist phráinneach atá agamsa inniu ná an bhfuil aon slí ann le réiteach a shocrú don scéim seo? Bhí an stiúrthóir i gComhairle Contae Dhún na nGall ag labhairt faoin gcumarsáid a bhí ag bogadh ar aghaidh le hionadaithe Uisce Éireann. Níl na finnéithe freagrach as an bpróiseas sin ach tá an dualgas orthu réiteach a fháil ar an bhfadhb seo.

We are five years waiting on a housing scheme of 35 houses in a Gaeltacht parish where I have organised a meeting between the head planners and representatives from Uisce Éireann on-site. The sewerage scheme is on the list for Uisce Éireann but we are still trying to find a solution. The witnesses were talking about legacy issues. That is totally understandable; there are massive legacy issues over the last ten to 15 years. An cheist atá agam ná cad a thagann ar dtús, an sicín nó an ubh? Which comes first, the chicken or the egg? This is what this is about. The planning for the 35 houses is sorted. The sewerage scheme is on the list. The council will not give the green light because it wants to see the visible sewerage scheme before it moves forward. Meanwhile, five years later, nothing gets done. Is there something which addresses the legacy issues from before? There were green lights given to housing estates years ago and the developer was supposed to look after the sewerage. All those legacy issues are real scenarios. I understand that. Tuigim é sin ach an cheist atá agamsa ná: is there a way being developed to try to find a solution to this where people are not on an ongoing housing list? Tá daoine ar liosta feithimh atá ag éirí níos mó agus níos mó. The list is getting bigger and bigger. Can we try to begin the conversations or could Mr. Towey facilitate this as duine neamhspleách? In his organisation role within the Department, can Mr. Towey try to facilitate some sort of conversation that will bring this issue to the end for so many people who have been waiting for far too long?