Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Rural Independent Group for tabling the motion. I wish to talk a little about the urban wastewater treatment plants and the difficulties we have currently with regard to the spend. Much of the focus has been on the 38 agglomerations that are subject to the European Court of Justice hearings. My understanding is that the court hearing was last month and that we are waiting for the outcome. If the Minister is in a position to give us an update on the matter in his concluding remarks later it would be most welcome.

It is important to note that the Irish Water capital plan has significant increases in the coming years. I agree with the view of the Minister in this area. Next year it is due to increase to €777 million, which is a significant uplift on this year. Then, it goes up to €800 million the following year and so on. Part of the difficulty is that not enough of that money is being spent on upgrading urban wastewater treatment plants as well as those in rural areas. Even where there has been an increased allocation, the figures from Irish Water show significant underspending. In 2016, we were told by the then Minister, Deputy Coveney, that the projected spend in upgrading wastewater treatment plants in 2017 would be approximately €229 million. My understanding is that the amount actually spent at the end of last year was €151 million. That is an underspend of €78 million. Some of this is to do with difficulties in the planning process and in securing planning permission. Some of it is to do with tendering and procurement. In any event, given there is money to spend on some of these upgrade works, I call on the Minister to come back to the Joint Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government, which has responsibility for this area, to explain the difficulties in getting the allocated money spent.

Irish Water estimated in 2017 that the cost of bringing the 38 agglomerations up to scratch would be approximately €1 billion. If Irish Water only intends to spend €150 million per year, it will take a considerable amount of time simply to get those treatment plants up to order. Obviously, that will not be fast enough for the European Commission. In turn, this means we would face the prospect of significant fines and we would possibly have to rethink the capital investment programme to accelerate the upgrade.

I am concerned about all the wastewater treatment plants identified by the Environmental Protection Agency as being potentially at risk. I am not simply talking about those currently in breach of the wastewater treatment directive. Perhaps the Minister will have an opportunity later today to talk us through the extent to which he and his Department are satisfied that the Irish Water capital investment plan in this area will treat all these plants. Otherwise, the Minister might apprise the committee at a later stage. This is not only about the plants that are falling foul of the existing directive requirements - it is relevant for all those others as well.

I have been calling for some time for investment. This does not necessarily mean an increase in the overall level of investment of Irish Water, although that would be welcome, but it means ensuring that an adequate distribution of the existing capital allocation is going to wastewater treatment. Certainly, based on the figures I have seen today I am more convinced than ever before in this regard.

It is important to highlight why we are facing this enforcement action by the European Commission in the first place.

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Capital investment in wastewater treatment fluctuated between €250 million and €300 million right up until 2010. While that was not an adequate level of investment, that is where the historic level sat. From 2011 onwards, however, it was slashed down to its lowest level in 2013 to €124 million. That was the year the European Commission initiated the enforcement proceedings, and it is no accident that it initiated those in the year of the lowest level of expenditure. What is more troubling is that in the years that followed up to 2016, capital investment continued to be low, and it is no accident that the European Commission decided to initiate court proceedings in 2016.

While I understand the intention of the motion, the issue is a little more complex. There is money available that is not being spent. We need to understand the reason for that and fix that problem. When that money is spent, if there is a requirement to shift more across to wastewater treatment, that would be welcome. At that stage, we could have a conversation about whether the total quantum of investment in Irish Water's capital investment plan needs to increase. The tragedy would be if it increases next year by more than €150 million and the money does not get to the parts of our water infrastructure it is needed. The more the Minister can reassure us about that, the better.

Irish Water and the Environmental Protection Agency will be before the Joint Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government before the end of this term. I invite the members of the Rural Independent Group who are not members of the committee to come and exchange their views with both of those bodies because that would be welcome. Ultimately, the buck stops with the Minister and I would be interested to hear what he has to say, particularly about the issues I have raised.

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