Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

I will deal with that specific point. There is concern about the boiling water notice that has been posted in respect of the Tuam scheme, with which Deputy McHugh is familiar. The notice has been posted even though cryptosporidium has not been identified in the samples that have been taken. It has been posted with the precautionary principle specifically in mind. It was decided that it made sense to take such a precaution in case water was being drawn from a scheme in a similar position.

The Deputy asked whether all available expertise will be brought to bear. When I travel to Galway tomorrow, I will be accompanied by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government's top experts in this area, as well as the assistant secretary who is responsible for the financial side of the Department. We will find out how we can help the authorities in Galway to overcome the difficulties being experienced in the area. We will examine the interim solutions. Galway City Council, which was mentioned by Deputy McHugh, will have to be part of the solution. We will have to find an alternative supply somewhere in the Galway County Council area to be diverted to the Terryland plant. As Deputy McHugh knows, such a supply cannot be found within the municipal area. The various authorities in the Galway area will have to make a joint effort to reach a solution to this problem. I assure the Deputy that the available expertise will be brought to bear.

I have corrected the Deputy's slip of the tongue, when he suggested that I had criticised Galway County Council. I am prepared to come to the House next week to outline the exact solutions which are to be put in place. We should put our collective energy towards resolving this. Deputy Michael D. Higgins, Deputy Grealish and others who live in Galway have conveyed a real sense of concern about the upcoming season. Deputy Grealish provided me with information about bookings for the Easter period being cancelled. We cannot allow that to continue and we must focus on the solution. When the solutions are in place, we can learn the lessons. I am not critical of a particular local authority but it is unacceptable that funding provided by the taxpayer is not drawn down.

Since I took over this portfolio I have issued instructions to clear the bureaucratic hurdles and red tape that existed. I have given clearance for schemes under €5 million after one visit to my Department. The local authorities then have responsibility to deliver. They cannot be expected to allocate limited staff resources to filling in forms.

In the case of the larger schemes I have truncated the number of necessary steps.

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