Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I too want to speak on this. I especially welcome the situation regarding the over-the-shop developments. I lobbied, with Deputy Michael Collins and the Rural Independent Group, for this to be included in the programme for Government, and several times since and previously. Indeed, I made a submission to the County Tipperary development plan. In addition to the floors upstairs above shops, many of the huge shops downstairs will never again be turned into a shop, and they have nice facades. I also note in this regard that the Government will allow some change to facades. That is fine, once it is not an extravagant change. The regulation is badly needed and I support it 100%. The sooner it is passed, the better.

The other aspect is Irish Water. I understand totally, as regards works and pipes in developments. We are doing a major job in Tipperary town at present. We must be able to proceed with all such works and the ancillary works as well. I merely seek clarification on Part 8. Do they need Part 8 for reservoirs or for bigger issues?

I also have an issue with the masts for health reasons. They must be located a distance away from schools and other public buildings. I note they are on Garda stations and many gardaí and their families are unhappy about them as well.

The issue I have with Irish Water - I tried to amend this - is that the combined sewer at the rear of houses, many of which were built by local authorities 70 years and which the local authorities always maintained, got dropped off in the transposing of the documents on the infrastructure of the local authorities across to Irish Water. I think it was deliberate. The same happened in England and they brought in legislation. I am trying to introduce a Private Members' Bill where householders have significant costs and problems with the backing up of sewers. This affects every town and many villages. These old pipes - these were quasi-public waterways because they were servicing all the houses - were installed by the local authorities and now Irish Water will not go near them. Irish Water will not allow in the local authority workers, who always cleaned them, for example, with DynoJet to unblock them, to free them and it is backing up in people's properties, causing anguish and angst, especially to the elderly. In a line, one house, at the end or in the middle of it, is getting the blockage. Others are expected to pay to have them cleaned, which is expensive. That needs to be looked at. Those quasi-public sewers should have been included in the transposition of the documents. I think it was deliberate. Whether it was an accident or deliberate, it should be rectified. That infrastructure should be brought in under this as well because it is causing enormous stress to many families.

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