Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. He is from a coastal county where there are several resorts along the coastline. I welcome this working group. It is a good idea. There are many legacy issues around the country from the previous Administration and it is good to deal with them. Clare County Council is in favour of this project. It wants to see a sewerage scheme in place in Carrigaholt, that is why it has gone out of its way to work with Irish Water and the Department and I am confident that if there are going to be several pilot projects Clare County Council will make this its first priority. I welcome that. I hope this multi-annual approach will target areas such as Carrigaholt.

There are other areas in County Clare and throughout the country where sewerage schemes have not been put in place. Rural Ireland cannot wait. It must have this infrastructure if it the population is to grow. That is why this pilot project is so important. There is an important fishing industry off the coast of Carrigaholt and an important tourism industry. It is on the Wild Atlantic Way and many people stop off at the good restaurants there. Having a sewerage scheme in these villages that cannot be sustained in the traditional ways is important. I welcome the Department’s approach. I hope we can include Carrigaholt in the funding for 2016.

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