Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to go back to the issue I raised earlier. It is not on the agenda for today but is an important issue. We have many housing estates, some built more than 20 years ago, which local authorities will not take in charge. Roads and footpaths are in poor condition. The reason local authorities will not take them in charge is Irish Water has not taken in charge the sewage treatment plants and says it will not do so because the plants are not up to standards. I understand there are about 500 of them around the country built from around 1998 to 2008 or 2010. What programme in the Department deals with this issue? There was funding of about €3.5 million last year but it is totally inadequate. As a result, estates are not taken in charge, there is wear and tear and, 20 years on, the local authority is not prepared to get involved. The other problem is local authorities did not draw down the bonds in many cases. Even if they draw them down at this stage, the amount of money available is way too small.