Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The Sandymount plant scheme mentioned by the Deputy was a great work by the engineering section of Dublin City Council, working in partnership with the private sector to bring about a totally modern scheme. I am aware there have been some difficulties in trying to deal with all the problems. While I am not a member of the city council, my understanding is that the council's engineers have been trying to surmount them.

Nevertheless, the council has done an enormous amount of work to alleviate the massive problems of pollution that we had in Dublin Bay for the last two generations. It is great to see the beaches on the coastline along Dublin Bay again receiving environmental flags this summer. That has been an enormous and dramatic change brought about by the investment in the scheme.

I will not answer local authority matters. I am answerable for enough other matters. If the council has a project in Donabate and is talking to local residents, I am sure that between them, the local public representatives will make their view clear. Undoubtedly, Deputy Glennon will also make his views clear, and hopefully Deputy Sargent will support them.

See this speech in context