Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

There is a considerable problem with trust and information on when, for example, this problem was first discovered.

Taking into account the 2004 guidelines and the study distributed, the State accepts responsibility for the provision of clean drinking water. Responsibility for management and compliance is divested to local authorities. Will the Minister tomorrow ensure the city council puts into the public realm the number of tests carried out to date and the dates and frequency of these tests in order that people will know how this problem arose. They may, in turn, be able to plan for avoidance of a similar problem in the future.

There is a reasonable doubt that the cause of the lethargy in applying for funding might have been the Water Services Bill which is stuck on Report Stage. The city council may have been anticipating privatisation or a public private partnership to manage water and wastewater services. The Minister might agree that if we were dealing with a privately managed water or wastewater service, we would be dealing with a nightmare with no accountability. It is important that people be reassured in the short term and that interim measures be taken.

The Minister answered one of my questions, but if the €21.5 million was allocated five years ago, when was it communicated to Galway City Council? Is the water infrastructure investment programme document required under law to be placed before the council's elected members for discussion and so forth? How did the delay come to be and did it have something to do with understaffing in the local authorities? In responding in the short and medium terms and in enabling all three phases of the capital programme response to be implemented in the interests of the people, will the Minister release permission tomorrow if additional staff are needed?

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