Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)

Both Deputy Pearse Doherty and I are from Donegal. What sticks in the craw of Donegal people is the fact that, historically, hundreds of millions of euro have been invested every year in the capital wastewater budget which is spent in the cities and towns throughout the State to comply with EU directives. At the same time, people who wished to build single homes in Donegal and other rural areas paid their own costs. They paid for planning permission, installation, the site assessments and all the other costs involved, without any subsidy or support. It often cost thousands of euro to do so. They paid their own way.

We now have a Bill that essentially asks them to pay the costs of potential replacement also. They complied with planning permission and departmental guidelines, went through that process and paid in full for it. There was no subsidy, as urban dwellers have received. Now, they must pay again. They are beginning to think, ironically in the context of this subject, that a tax might be imposed on fresh air or there might be a tax on living in rural areas. These communities are also watching the threatened closure of Garda stations, small community hospitals and nursing units come under threat while the post office infrastructure and rural transport networks are also under threat.

A picture is developing of the dismantling of the community, physical and public infrastructure of rural Ireland. This Bill is the final straw. That is the reason petitions with thousands of names are being sent from counties such as Donegal to the Minister. That is the reason there are packed public meetings being held throughout the county. There is profound concern about this Bill.

We still do not have specific information from the Minister. What is the specification for what is required under the legislation? That would clarify matters. We do not have such specification. There are references to the Cavan model and the fact that Ireland has been taken to the European Court of Justice. If we have been taken to that court and if Cavan has been found to have an acceptable model, there must be a specification for that model. However, it has not been presented to us, so we cannot reassure people in places such as Donegal who are profoundly concerned.

Hundreds of millions of euro have historically been invested each year in the capital wastewater programme. This money is distributed through the various councils across the State. Why can some of that budget not be reallocated to grant aid people who have to replace their system? We have been given assurances from the Minister that he will examine this but that is not acceptable. I am anxious to convey to the Minister, if I can get his attention, that the key issue of concern to people in rural areas is the cost of replacement. They are terrified. A man called to me a few days ago and he outlined the reality for his family and the family home they have had for years. They fear they will not reach the specification, which we do not have at this point. They are terrified at the prospect of a cost amounting to thousands at this time.

Before the Minister can seek the support of the House, he must reassure those families and deal with the double standard of urban dwellers having all these facilities free of charge while rural dwellers are being asked to pay, yet again, to comply with an EU directive. That is an injustice. It leaves people in Donegal and other rural areas with the sense that there is one law for rural communities. This must be addressed before the Minister can seek or expect the support of the House.

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