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

I thank Mr. Horgan. This is a serious issue. There are other areas in west Cork where raw sewage is entering the pipeline, yet there is so much finger-pointing at farmers that it is almost as if the farmer is guilty of all the wrongs that exist when that is not the case. We have to put this situation right in our towns and villages. In my village of Goleen in west Cork, we spent a great deal of money – Uisce Éireann was not up and running at the time – bringing people from all over the world to try to put it right for various properties and their surrounds. As a community council, we did everything at our own cost to try to sort it out. We are 22 years later. This is scandalous. Small villages and towns are dying a death. Development is not happening because we do not have proper infrastructure, including sewerage and water schemes. Most of the schemes and tanks are faulty and pouring raw sewage into our water.

I would appreciate it if Uisce Éireann communicated with me. I want to work towards a solution, not just moan and groan without doing anything else. There is a solution, and I would appreciate it if we all worked together on it.