Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have been on the Community Council in Goleen since 1999. We are doing our best to provide a sewage system for Goleen. It has not happened since 1999. There is raw sewage being pumped into the tide, and the Department is chasing the poor farmer. I was at a public meeting in Shannonvale in Clonakilty recently. There is raw sewage bursting over the ground and pouring into the reservoir, rivers and waters of Clonakilty. Nobody gives a damn. However, the poor farmer will be chased to within an inch of his life. Every time someone gets up in the Dáil, the farmer is blamed. He is the only culprit for all of the problems we have in our water. Our country has turned its back on the issue of sewage that needs to be treated and the treatment plants that need to be built. That is the biggest culprit in the contamination of our waters. I plead that we fight on. Irish agriculture is under immense pressure. The one word that stood out when I was at the farm in Farnanes was farmers saying they were treated like environmental terrorists, and they are not. That is a sad fact, and it is coming from the floor of our own parliament. It happens continuously that every time there is an environmental issue the finger is pointed at the farmer. To be quite honest, they are doing very well, and are coming on. There are obviously issues and there is no point saying different. However, they must be given some slack. They are working on areas that will create big improvements down the road. I thank the witnesses.