Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)

As someone who has lived in rural Ireland for many years, I have first-hand experience of the wonderful people involved in rural communities. The greatest example of that is the group water scheme system, of which I have personal experience. I saw the wonderful effort made by so many people not only to set up those schemes but run them around the clock, no more than a rural general practitioner who is out at all hours of the day and night. That work was done by people whose cousins lived in the towns and had everything provided for them. I want to record my admiration of the wonderful and continuing effort by those people in rural areas.

I became aware of a case involving two elderly ladies who were trustees of a particular scheme. They were being pilloried by the media, the Government and the local authority because there was contamination of the water in Ballycroy. Those ladies were put under terrible pressure but it was obvious that the money had not been made available by successive Governments to allow the necessary investment to bring those schemes up to the proper standard. The same investment available for local authorities was not made available to communities and that tells the story very well. What happened in that case was very unfair.

I was involved in the setting up of the National Federation of Group Water Schemes. I was chairman of the federation until I was elected to this House. I was involved in negotiations on the rural water programme when I first suggested the idea of a quality control standard. I welcome that and the progress made on a charter of rights for group water schemes and so on. As a result of the threat of a large European Union fine, money was made available but that investment needs to continue. It would be a terrible injustice if the money was not put invested.

I am concerned about the various penalties now being introduced. Many people involved in group water schemes were expecting this legislation, which is necessary to a point, but the concern is that it will be used as a stick to beat those very people who have made Trojan efforts. Those people need to be kept on board because if they are beaten down, so to speak, they will simply give up and this major voluntary effort will not be replaced by Government. Somebody else will then take over this work at a major cost to the State.

I have also met many older people in particular throughout the country who have put their hearts and souls into these schemes, as well as those who were involved in the setting up of the National Federation of Group Water Schemes, people like Sean Clerkin, the current national co-ordinator, Brendan O'Mahoney, the current chairman, and so on.

I welcome the fact that the national rural water monitoring committee is getting statutory recognition under the Bill. I ask the Minister to ensure in particular that the county monitoring committees are equally strengthened because they are key to ensuring fair play and that a democratic deficit does not arise. I suggested that scheme should be extended to the planning system, in which there is a major democratic deficit.

A major infrastructure deficit exists also. We agree it has to be quality focused and the most money should be put into ensuring quality but there is a major problem with the lack of infrastructure. These communities have been deprived over the years. The systems are run down and with the exacting EU standards they are expected to perform. The penalties involved are severe but it would be a travesty if those people were penalised in any way.

I congratulate the Minister on his appointment but I ask him to consult widely with the group water scheme activists, ensure there is fair play, that those involved in the group water schemes are not bullied or coerced and that the licensing system is fair. If the Minister allows any injustice to creep in, he will kill the goose that lays the golden egg, and the State will be the loser. The Minister should strengthen the county monitoring committees and ensure the system works in a democratic fashion.

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