Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 20 October 2020

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government

General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020: Discussion

Mr. Feargal Ó Coigligh:

On group schemes, any body or person who abstracts water above the threshold will have to register or obtain a licence. That is the case, regardless. However, I am not sure that there is any pressure from the rural group scheme sector not to be included within the provisions of the Bill, so it will not be a particular issue for it.

On fire stations, I do not think the use of water for fighting fires, for example, would be considered an abstraction within the provisions of the Bill. On how training centres abstract water, it would depend on whether they are coming off a private or public water supply. If they are coming off a public water supply, they are coming of a public water supply; if they have their own well, which reaches the limits, they would be obliged to register. It has not been brought to our attention as a particular issue, but if there is an issue there, we will look at it. What was the third issue the Deputy raised?