Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle as ucht an deis a thabhairt domsa labhairt faoi fhadhb an uisce i mo Dáilcheantar inniu. We have a very serious problem with water.

I join in the tributes paid to Mr. Gerry Grant and his team in Irish Water. They have been working hard all weekend to try to resolve issues.

There is a particular issue in my constituency. The Minister will be aware of the Staleen water treatment plant. He visited it last summer, when there was a major water crisis in east Meath. It was clear then that the Staleen treatment plant was not fit for purpose. While some work has happened since that crisis last summer and there is major pipework between Drogheda and Duleek, the towns of Ratoath and Ashbourne are at the end of that Staleen line and are subject to ongoing problems. These manifested again this weekend because they are at the end of that line. The Staleen treatment plant between Louth and Meath covers 86,500 people, from almost Clogherhead down to Ashbourne and Ratoath. Those towns are at the end of the line and if there is a fault in Staleen, it manifests itself in a much worse way at the end of the line in Ashbourne and Ratoath. One alternative that has been suggested but is not, unfortunately, in Irish Water's capital plan, is running a pipe between Dunshaughlin, where there is a relatively new water tower, and Ratoath. There is adequate capacity at Dunshaughlin and there is a small pipe already covering Ratoath from Dunshaughlin. It is estimated that the project would only cost €4 million and would solve the problem for both the current residents and the potential 760 houses that are due to go into Ratoath under land that is currently zoned and subject to planning permissions.

Something needs to be done on this issue. This small investment, in relative terms, needs to be carried out to ensure an adequate water supply for Ratoath so that the people do not have to continue to put up with the interruptions they have because of the outdated network. This is a small investment that would add to a much bigger investment that was made approximately ten years ago in Dunshaughlin.

Work needs to be done in Ashbourne to ensure that the water gets up to hilly areas, particularly in the Racehill area. That is a relatively small investment also and I appeal to the Minister for it on behalf of my constituents.

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