Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If the Minister, Deputy Hogan, were to sit down with any of the groups representing the 12,000 residents the Deputy mentioned, all he could say to them would be that his statutory function, if this project comes through the planning process, is to find money within his capital programme to make it happen. All the Minister could do in that regard would be to reiterate what are his functions.

From long experience in this House, the Deputy is well aware that the reason we have a statutory process through the local authority and its functions and An Bord Pleanála is to have no interference with the planning process. The Deputy can be quite sure that if the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government of the day were to put his or her foot in this space, the wrong perception would be given.

An extensive investigation has already been carried out. Nine locations were identified as having the potential to deal with this. Three were assessed as being preferred options and of those three, the council informed council members yesterday that best impact from an ecological, technical and environmental perspective was the Clonshaugh location with an outfall pipe 6 km out beyond Baldoyle. This must go through An Bord Pleanála with an environmental impact assessment. This is completely independent of any Minister or any Government. In that regard, the process has been followed.

If this project goes through that process and becomes a reality, it is the function of the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government to find the funds within the capital programme allocated to him to make it become a reality. The Deputy's request for the Minister to meet with groups carries no weight in that the Minister has no function here with the county council and An Bord Pleanála.

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