Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, for selecting this matter which is of importance to the people of Kildare town as well as many residents in the mid-Kildare area. Having listened to Deputy Mitchell, I was struck by the correlation that exists between this matter and the planning issue she raised. Together with Monasterevin, Kildare town was identified as a secondary growth centre in the last regional planning guidelines. The reality for local residents, however, was that we had no growth at all. Thankfully, we have no derelict sites or boarded-up houses.

We got no new houses during the Celtic tiger period, however, because our sewerage system was inadequate. It took considerable effort by politicians, including myself, and the local community to convince the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government that such a sewage treatment system should be provided. It was provided, however, and something in the order of €18 million was spent on a sewage treatment plant. We now have a state-of-the-art plant but we need a network of pipes to deliver the effluent to the treatment plant. Effectively, one will not work without the other.

The treatment plant has been built and the network was at tender stage prior to the establishment of Irish Water. In fact, I believe a tender had been accepted and approved and that a preferred contractor had been identified. Therefore, I read with great interest this week about Irish Water's proposed capital investment plan. I went through it and found the Kildare sewerage scheme network with the comment "Continued planning and business case review".

The project is essential for the development of this area, which young people in need of housing are forced to leave because this network of pipes has not been put in place.

Much controversy surrounded the establishment of Irish Water. It is seen as a super quango, has cost an inordinate amount to establish and has spent an inordinate amount of public money on consultancies. In the first test of how it will perform we find that it will spend no more than the Department and local authorities were spending on capital projects in recent years. One of the most significant capital projects in the pipeline, for which a tender was approved, must go back for further planning and a case review.

I ask the Minister to intervene and have common sense prevail. Having spent €18 million of public money on a treatment plan, it makes no sense to abandon the commitment to provide the pipes to get the effluent to the plant in order that it can work.

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