Mr. Eddie Taaffe:

The lack of services in some of our smaller towns and larger villages is a growing issue. For example, we have some sites in Wexford on which we could deliver housing but there is no wastewater infrastructure nor is there likely to be any.

There are two parts to this issue. First, there are areas where there is a solution. It is a case of putting in a package plant and there being receiving waters - a stream or river - with the capacity to take an effluent discharge from that. We need to come up with a way whereby that can be provided in partnership with Uisce Éireann to an agreed standard and meet all the environmental standards, but constructed in partnership with the private sector to an agreed plan. We need to start considering such an approach and delivering in that way.

The second part is far more difficult. There are areas and small towns and villages where the receiving waters are not capable, making delivery far more problematic. There needs to be a realistic assessment of those areas to say that, since we are never going to be able to come up with a solution that is environmentally sustainable, let us focus on the areas where it can be done. We need to focus on the areas where there needs to be certainty that, if the services are provided, the houses will follow on as quickly as possible. That is a matter for consideration by Uisce Éireann. There have been legacy issues with pre-2008 developer-provided infrastructure. Some of those are still unresolved and causing problems. That is why it must be agreed very early on about where this is technically feasible and advisable while having a realistic conversation about cases where it is never going to be technically feasible. We need to call that now.