John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am obliged to inform Deputy Mattie McGrath of what is in the reply but I will go off script. I do not agree with the Deputy that the children's hospital is a white elephant. It has been spoken about for all of my lifetime, just as this issue has been discussed as well.

3 o’clock

I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, who could not be here but is glad the Deputy has raised this issue regarding the steps Irish Water has taken to address the need for a new water supply for the eastern and midlands region.

Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has had statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level. Irish Water as a single national utility is taking a strategic, nationwide approach to asset planning and investment and meeting customer requirements.

The requirement for a new supply source for the Dublin water supply area was first identified in the greater Dublin water supply strategic study published in 1996. The greater Dublin area, GDA, is the water resource zone that includes Dublin city and county along with significant sections of counties Kildare, Meath and Wicklow. While the GDA is served by eight individual treatment plants, over 80% of the water is sourced from the River Liffey catchment and 11% is sourced from the River Vartry catchment.

Irish Water assumed responsibility for the project following its establishment in 2014 and published a project need report in 2015, which covered the GDA and a wider benefitting corridor to encompass parts of the midlands. Irish Water reports that the sustainable availability of the GDA raw water sources will be utilised to full capacity by 2026. A new source is, therefore, needed in addition to an ambitious programme of leakage reduction.

Irish Water's proposed water supply project for the eastern and midlands region is the result of extensive studies and research and four phases of public consultation. In total, ten options were identified and examined in detail. Research has covered vast criteria, including geographic, demographic, technical, environmental and economic factors. Feedback received from public consultations has been factored into the development of the final proposal by Irish Water at all stages.

Through this process, the Shannon Parteen basin option was identified as the preferred scheme because, via its pipeline route to Dublin, it will deliver the widest benefit to the greatest number of people with the least environmental impact. The Parteen basin scheme comprises the abstraction of water from the lower River Shannon at Parteen basin in County Tipperary, with water treatment at nearby Birdhill. Treated water will then be piped 170 km to a termination point reservoir in south Dublin. Supplies of treated water will be made available to midland communities along the route.

While parallel work is advancing on water conservation projects in the region and nationwide, water saved from fixing leaks will not be enough to meet future demand. Irish Water indicates that raw water sources for the greater Dublin area will be at capacity by 2026 and that the rest of the eastern and midlands region faces similar challenges.

Irish Water is currently preparing a planning application, including an environmental impact report and Natura impact statement, for the water supply project. It intends that the planning application will be submitted to An Bord Pleanála towards the end of this year and water from the project will be available from 2025. Subject to planning approval, it is anticipated that construction will be carried out over a three-to-four-year period commencing in 2022, assuming a positive outcome for the planning application.

The project is intended to meet the domestic, commercial and industrial needs of a region comprising 40% of the population into the medium to long-term future to 2050. It must be recognised that water infrastructure is already struggling to meet the current need and without this project, the eastern and midlands region of the country would face water shortages within ten years. That could mean rationing commercial and domestic supplies and severely impacting economic development and future foreign direct investment. The evidence and assessments clearly show that a long-term and sustainable source of water is needed for the eastern and midlands region to provide future generations with a secure water supply.

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