Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)

I am delighted to see the Minister of State, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, in the Chamber to respond to this matter. The long delays in the commissioning of a number of sewerage schemes in County Clare, among them the proposed €13.5 million Carrigaholt, Cooraclare and Labasheeda schemes, is a shocking indictment of this Government's commitment to reversing rural decline at a time when there are bumper tax receipts. The Government has so much money now that it has become very imaginative in finding ways to waste it. If only it were so imaginative in promoting rural development. In countless villages in rural Ireland, development has come to a halt as people seeking to build homes find themselves unable to get planning permission because of the lack of adequate sewerage schemes in these areas.

I appeal to the Minister of State to give a firm date for the commencement of key projects in County Clare. It is not just the Carrigaholt, Cooraclare and Labasheeda schemes that are delaying development and leading to the slow death of these villages. In total, ten towns and villages, including the county capital, Ennis, are behind schedule on various waste water projects. There are also schemes in such areas as Scariff, Feakle, Quilty, Mullagh, Broadford, Doolin, Ballyvaughan and Corofin which are behind schedule. In the case of the latter, I am happy to see that approval of the contract documents for the scheme is imminent, allowing the council to invite tenders for the construction of the scheme.

Will the Minister of State give a commitment on the projects which find themselves in an ongoing limbo because of a regressive pricing policy? The issue of foreshore licenses also arises in relation to many of these schemes. This is ironic, given the ongoing pollution being caused by the lack of proper waste water infrastructure. Thankfully, this has not affected the recent blue flag designations for beaches close to these areas.

Carrigaholt, Labasheeda, Quilty, Mullagh, Doolin and Ballyvaughan are all coastal villages, but fears have now been raised that Carrigaholt and Labasheeda will be unbundled from the other village in their grouping, Cooraclare, and that they will be left behind when schemes are finally approved. The Scariff, Feakle and Quilty schemes were due to start this year. I understand that the costing structure of these schemes is now to be used as a template for the other schemes. However, I draw attention to the fact that three villages to which I have referred have tremendous development potential. Labasheeda is often called the Doolin of west Clare because of its natural beauty and amenities. Carrigaholt is a scenic coastal village with a beautiful beach and fine fishing facilities and is potentially an attractive tourist destination. Cooraclare is an example of a rural village which has retained its character. It has a strong sense of community which needs regeneration.

In so many instances, the hearts of villages are dying as people move away to the larger towns and cities. The failure to upgrade roads, provide broadband and invest in an adequate public transport system for such villages has led to rural decline over the years. Young people are getting the message that this Government is not interested in balanced regional development or in reducing the congestion and overcrowding of our cities by engaging sufficiently in regional economic planning. It is ignoring the goals of the national spatial strategy.

Certainly the cost per unit of waste water facilities in villages does not compare favourably with large towns and cities. However, such comparisons, based on pure accountancy, fail to acknowledge the development potential of these areas and the availability of land for housing, in stark contrast to our cities which are now experiencing ridiculous house price inflation. Investment in our towns and communities will pay dividends in the long run. It will cut down on long commutes, reduce the disproportionate amount of time many people are now spending on cars, with the consequent reduction in quality of life. It will lead to a reduction in one-off housing with all the issues that arise there with regard to extending water and telecommunications infrastructure to remote areas where people are isolated.

Will the Minister of State give a clear response on the start-up date for these three sewerage schemes? I am aware there are some problems with the cost per housing unit, but I hope that the Minister of State will clear up these issues and indicate where the schemes will go from here.

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