Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Last year most rational people in Ireland realised that Irish Water was a disaster. That has not changed. Yesterday the Taoiseach stated to the House that having high quality water and sewerage schemes requires investment on a major scale and cannot be done under the discredited system we have had for the last 40 years. If this Government is so concerned about how sewerage is managed or the state of our water table, perhaps it should have done something about it. During its four years in power it has done less than any other Administration for at least the last 20 years.

Last year I asked about 13 different towns and villages in County Wexford from which raw sewage was flowing into the sea or to rivers. These were Arthurstown, Ballyhack, Duncannon, Wellington Bridge, Clonroche, Ballycanew, Campile, Kilmore, Duncormick, Curraghcloe, Oylegate and Ferns-Camolin. I was told to write to Irish Water to ascertain its plans. The company told me it was considering and planning for these places, and expressed the hope that I was happy with its answer. Yesterday the Minister, Deputy Kelly, stated that 385 major capital projects are underway nationally. Perhaps he can clarify whether "underway" means they are at design stage, planning stage or under construction. Under no circumstances are 385 projects under construction. The Minister phrased his comment in a deceptive manner. In Wexford it has been decided to work on one project soon. There are no plans for the other towns and villages even though raw sewage continues to flow into rivers and the sea.

We were made aware of the huge problems that existed with sewage treatment in Ireland even before this Government came to power. The Europeans were drumming from the hilltops about it.

Why did the Government not ask them if it could borrow money at 1.7% and put a few billion euro into our water and sewerage system? The sewerage system is archaic and does not function very well and our water table is severely damaged and under pressure. How many septic tanks have been tested and what has been done about septic tanks that are polluting the water table, poisoning us and increasing cancer rates here? That is the truth of what is happening. The Government has done bugger all about that. How many septic tanks in Ireland have been tested? Most septic tanks do not work properly, but the Government has done bugger all about them. I challenged the former Minister, Phil Hogan, about that here, but he was more or less just codding the Europeans on the issue.

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