Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

Both the Minister and I are in new jobs. I will ensure the legislation that comes before the House is properly challenged and frankly and fairly debated. We will listen to all the arguments before we make up our minds on the issues involved.

Everybody can agree on some things. One is that water is the most important thing in our lives because without it we can only live for a short period. The quality of life, the quality of Ireland's water and the quality of our environment are predicated on how we deal with our environment and water resources. This Bill contains many good provisions but also many provisions that concern me. Unless we use the good things in the Bill to manage and conserve our water supply, use it wisely and well and plan for the future, there will be no long-term future for the country. I welcome the good things in the Bill.

I welcome the good investment programme run by the Department. A phenomenal amount of money is being spent in this area. When one looks at the individual schemes in the counties, towns and cities, one sees the huge investment. That is welcome. It is good, positive and constructive. That is a fact. However, there are issues with planning, water supply and sewerage that I must discuss. One is the national spatial strategy, on which I sought a debate today as we have never had one. The strategy is critical for the future of the country because through it we are planning the development of our cities and towns. Specific areas have been identified for growth. It is that issue and the planning issues involved in developing our towns which I wish to address. This involves the limits placed on us by the water supply and whether it can be brought to those areas and, second, our wastewater treatment facilities and whether they have the capacity or the effectiveness to deal with the development proposed, not only in the strategy but also by local authorities when they draw up their development plans for which the guidelines need to be looked at again.

I have read what was said in the debates on this Bill both in the Seanad and this Chamber. I will use my county to give examples of what is good and bad practice. When we were drawing up the development plan for County Louth, we looked specifically at rezoning. We looked at land throughout the county and particularly around the village of Dunleer, a matter of great controversy for many.

The county council rezoned vast tracts of land in addition to the land recommended for the curtailage of the development plan for the village of Dunleer. The people of Dunleer and the future of County Louth were significantly and adversely affected by the amount of land rezoned. The sewage capacity of the village, which is approximately 4,000 people equivalents, has already been reached in the current the development plan. There is no capacity to deal with the flood water which will run off from the houses and industries, if they are built. Given that situation, farmers have told me that flood water run-off is causing significant problems on their farms. The decision was wrong for County Louth and Dunleer.

Political pressure is shaping development plans while issues of water supply and sewerage do not seem to enter the arguments. A further point is that the capacity of Dunleer to grow has been stymied because it cannot grow more than has been planned for. There will be no place for those from the area who want to live there unless a new sewage treatment plant is built at a cost of millions of euro. The wise men in County Louth decided that Dunleer, which has a population of approximately 2,000, will grow to 4,500 over the next five to seven years. The town of Ardee will be smaller than the new town of Dunleer, which is crazy. Worst of all, the capacity of the local river, the White River, which supplies water for Dunleer, is low, especially in summer. There is concern, given that waste water from the sewage treatment plant will enter the river, that the future water supply of all of mid-Louth could, in theory, be contaminated.

This sort of water issue must be addressed in conjunction with the positive measures contained in the Bill. We need to connect the spatial strategy and planning, even at micro or village level, with what is being discussed. Unless this is done, we will continue to experience problems and mistakes. There will be a demand for a new sewage capacity and for significant investment in a particular town, while other towns with less capacity could meet demand but will not get the growth. I hope the Minister will address this important issue.

Much has been said on the fluoridation of water. An eminent health board official, who happened to be a professional dentist before he entered the wonderful world of public administration, told me that fluoridation made a significant difference. He told me the cohort of children growing to adulthood with more than half of their teeth lost disappeared in a very short period. Whatever the faults in the arguments, there is one positive issue, namely, that fluoridation protects young children and ensures they retain their teeth into adult life. This is important and has made a significant difference to the well being and health of the young, which must be stressed.

I agree with much of what Deputy Coveney said on conservation of supply. Ordinary households do not have a proper policy for conservation of supply. Many speakers have referred to the dual flush system for toilets, which makes sense. The Minister will remember the barrel for rain water outside village and town houses. Women, unfortunately, had to do the washing with that water but the rain water barrel is long gone from Irish life despite it being a valuable source of what is called grey water. I hope the Minister will address this issue. It goes back to Deputy Coveney's point about conserving the good things we have. Let us conserve the rain water coming down from heaven and let us use it to improve our society.

Members of the Green Party, in particular, raised questions about the type of washing powder we use. Members will know that many additives in washing powder are not good for the environment and this must be addressed.

On Friday last, when I accessed part of the Minister's website, I noted he had issued a statement on the nitrates directive, on which I understand Mr. Denis Brosnan has produced an important and useful report.

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