Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

That is correct. I agree with the point the Deputy made. When I met the anglers in Galway, including the "gentleman" to whom Deputy Michael D. Higgins referred in derogatory terms recently on television, and not entirely truthfully either, they made some interesting points. One issue related to the point dealt with by the Deputy; the haphazard tree-felling system. There is currently a moratorium on tree felling in the pearl mussel areas. It is appropriate that proper guidelines be put in place to deal with that issue. I agree with Deputy Michael D. Higgins. A forest management plan for pearl mussel areas is being prepared by the Department of Agriculture and Food, which has responsibility in this area, with the support of my Department. In the context of Galway and the other issues we discussed this may not appear an important point but I agree with the Deputy that it is important.

To return to the main point which was made by Deputy O'Dowd, it is very important that we locate responsibility for strategic planning for water in the same place as we locate responsibility for drawing up development plans. Deputy O'Dowd is absolutely correct. He has hit the nail on the head. This is reflected in the point made by Deputy Catherine Murphy.

Deputies Morgan, Gilmore and Michael D. Higgins — forgive me if I am wrong — referred to privatisation. I do not understand how any clear reading of the Bill could suggest this is a charter for privatisation. I said on Second and Committee Stages that I would examine the matter. I accept we were anticipating another amendment. This point has been made several times in the contributions. Amendment No. 17 specifically addresses the issue. It puts the ownership of public water outside the remit of privatisation. Deputy Morgan and I would agree that one of the extraordinary things that happened a few years ago on an island not a million miles away was that privatisation of water resulted in a disaster. It cannot happen here and it will not happen if we enact this Bill, especially amendment No. 17.

Deputy Morgan also asked a question that was touched on by Deputy Gilmore about whether charging could be reintroduced. If one recalls, we discussed this issue on Second Stage and on Committee Stage I introduced an amendment in this regard. Section 105 specifically prohibits charging. That section reflects the prohibition on charging which is contained in the Local Government (Financial Provisions) Act 1997. It is worthwhile making that point because it anticipates a point that will be made when we discuss future amendments.

As is his wont, Deputy Cuffe strayed fairly dramatically from the general area of reference in the Bill. He referred at some length to Galway. He said the people of Galway are looking for action. I agree with him on that. I also agree there have been some contretemps between the mayor and me. It is my view that the mayor has looked after Galway in a way that is extraordinarily desultory but he is not here to defend himself so I will not engage in a discussion on that issue. The mayor, the chairman of the county council, the manager of the county council, the manager of the city council and I met on 30 March and we specifically agreed a number of measures for Galway — to identify the source or sources of the infection; to supply water from Tuam to augment the city's supply; to switch the water from Tuam by June; to phase out the old treatment plant in June; in the medium term to install a packaging plant at Terryland with a capacity to handle 18 million litres of water per day; in the long term to fast-track the advancement of the new water treatment plant for Galway city; and, also to provide augmentation of the treatment plant in Tuam. All of that is happening.

As the Deputy will be aware, the county council is in the process of transferring water from Tuam, where there is a clean water supply, to Galway. I understand this will take a number of weeks for technical reasons to do with sludge build-up. It is anticipated that the county council will be pumping that water by 8 May and that the process of transfer will be completed by June, with the Terryland plant being completed by June.

Deputies Catherine Murphy and Gilmore referred specifically to the plight of families in Galway who are without water. I can well understand their frustration. It is an extraordinary situation. I have indicated to Galway City Council that I will make resources available to it. In the past week and a half, I made additional resources available to it to help it to fund the delivery of water. I have, on three separate occasions, offered the use of water tankers. It is an issue for decision by the local council and it decided, for its own good reasons, not to accept my offer.

Deputy Cuffe has continually and very unfairly made efforts to blame the farming community for all the problems with water supply. The nitrates directive was negotiated over 15 long years and implemented last year and some credit is due to the farmers and particularly its leadership in this regard. It was a very difficult bullet for them to bite, but bite it they did, and there is now an improvement in that there are very strict controls on spreading. It is unfair for Deputy Cuffe to single out the farming community continually because it has done its bit.

The issues of spreading human sludge and delays in the implementation of schemes have arisen recently. Deputy Cuffe has an extraordinary brass neck to stand up in this House and refer to the problems in my constituency. The problem with the Arklow sewage plant was caused by a group of people who decided to take the matter to court. It has been tied up in court for an interminable period and the only political party that supported the group in bringing the matter to its current impasse was the Green Party. It is astonishing that the Green Party, as opposed to all the other parties and independent members at the local council, opposed the putting in place of a sewage treatment scheme that the people of Arklow desperately need. It is incredible that Green Party Members stood up in this House and made such an accusation. It is an extraordinary, duplicitous stand.

Had Deputy Cuffe bothered to remain in the Chamber, I could have reminded him of the rather opportunistic opposition and difficulties faced by Deputy Michael Higgins when he spoke in Galway about common sense in the placement of housing and planning policy. I agreed with Deputy Michael Higgins's comments and we have captured our views in this Bill. I could also have pointed out to Deputy Cuffe, had he bothered his barney to stay here, that there was some rather opportunistic opposition from across the political spectrum to the project on Mutton Island, which opposition made progress somewhat difficult. An extraordinary set of circumstances arose when there was a vote to create the big facility in Cork and the motion was carried by only one vote. Councillors of some of the major parties had to stand up and make the decision, as they always do, and they made the right one, as has been vindicated.

Amendments Nos. 1 and 40 to 43, inclusive, are technical.

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