Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Private Members' debate. I commend the efforts of the county and city councils on the water and road problems during the cold weather we had in December. I commend the work of staff at all hours of the day and night.

On the voluntary side, I refer to the group water scheme movement. We sometimes forget about group water schemes. With design, build and operate schemes they provide a first-class water supply through grants from the Department. These bring water to many people in rural Ireland who would not otherwise have a water supply. I have worked closely in the past with the federation of group schemes and it does excellent work in dealing with the issues that affect rural families. When water charges were abolished for householders, the group water schemes were completely forgotten. I am glad that when Deputy Noel Dempsey was Minister, we made some changes to allow a free supply for rural households. It can cost up to €3,000 to put in place a group water scheme for individuals. Other issues arise from this in respect of maintenance of schemes, taking over schemes, appointing caretakers and getting a majority of members to agree to the local authority taking over the scheme. If a water authority is to be established, the issues affecting group water schemes should be addressed.

I am glad that extra funding has been made available for water services in the period 2010 to 2012, including €495 million in 2010 and €435 million in 2011. I am honoured to have been a Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government under the Minister, Deputy Gormley, in 2008 and 2009, during which time I had responsibility for group water schemes. We operated pilot rain water harvesting schemes as part of the water conservation measures at a farm in County Meath and a school in County Mayo, and these were very successful. Such schemes are part of the whole education process. Conservation measures such as these are well worth supporting, and we need to have them in order to develop water management systems and identify and repair leaks. During the cold spell in December, leaks in the water supply led to water shortages and water supplies were restricted.

I wish to mention in particular the work done by the Minister, Deputy Gormley, and the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Finneran, and the investment they are making in water services. There are many projects in which the two Ministers are involved. The Minister knows well my interest in the water scheme for Kilreekil, a village with no water in County Galway. In addition, the Milltown and Claregalway sewerage schemes are on his desk, and I hope he will be able to sanction them. However, I would also like to commend the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Eamon Ryan, on his introduction of the warmer homes scheme, which not only increased energy efficiency but also, in the houses that participated in the scheme, resulted in insulation of piping and attics, draught-proofing and filling of cavity walls, which was very helpful during the cold weather in December. It was unfortunate that we had so many burst pipes, but where lagging of pipes had been carried out it was clear that such problems did not occur to the same extent.

There is a major issue with the pipe network, which I do not have time to go into now. There is much to be done with regard to promoting schemes. We must spend money on the network as well as on the treatment plants. I am glad we have the opportunity to discuss this. A cold spell such as the one that occurred in December may happen every year; it has happened for the last two years.

My final request to the Government is not to forget rural water schemes. It must ensure a good water service is provided to people who are doing it for themselves by setting up voluntary groups, and it must work with the National Federation of Group Water Schemes to ensure that water supplies are available through group schemes to rural Ireland.

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