Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Coming from the south east, the Deputy knows of the inadequate and different standards applied by some local authorities. It is necessary to have in place a system throughout the country which ensures the highest standards in terms of the production, treatment and utilisation of water. To be honest with the Deputy, I do not believe Irish Water has done itself justice, including when its officials appeared before an Oireachtas committee earlier this year, in terms of setting out what people will get for the contributions they make, including, for example, the priority they attach to the quality of drinking water. I am sure Deputy Wallace, like Deputy Fitzmaurice, would not want 20,000 people in Roscommon to continue to have to boil water prior to use. It is time to deal with that issue. Substantial investments were made last year in the treatment works which will sort out that problem for those people. There are a number of towns throughout the country where lead piping exists and in respect of which Irish Water has issued advice pending replacement of those lead pipes which can be a serious cause of concern to people and their health.

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