Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Water and wastewater services are important to all parts of the country, be they urban or rural, and we need proper wastewater systems.

Regarding the group water schemes in rural areas especially, we welcome the €230 subvention last year for schemes that have their own well and their own pump and the upgrade of moneys in that regard. That is badly needed because many of them were struggling.

I ask the Minister and his officials to note that there are rural areas where people may have their own pump and the quality of water might not be great. If they want to start a group water scheme themselves, the Department does not provide funding for that. I ask the Minister to address that because there are a number of such schemes throughout the country.

I note also that for Irish Water to take over a scheme it has to be brought up to a standard but currently it is reluctant to take them over. I ask the Minister to make sure that it speeds up in that regard.

With regard to regulations and the Water Framework Directive, we have a two-tier system in Ireland in that if one is lucky enough to have a public sewer, one does not have to be worried about it.

People in the rural parts of Ireland with septic tanks will get a grant if they are included in the 5% and earn less than a certain number. However, if someone happens to report a septic tank that he or she sees is not functioning properly, someone who is not in that 5% is in trouble. We have to make sure the funding is there for those people. It is costing a good few pounds.

From reading the report, I believe this is a way of going forward. The funding for community schemes needs to be increased. I know the Minister of State is carrying out a cost-benefit analysis, but that cost-benefit analysis does not add up. To solve a problem like this is very important for people.

I also wish to mention the prices Irish Water is charging. The issue has been mentioned here. Group water schemes are taking in people for between €800 and €1,300. They will provide a new connection. Someone could get a price of €3,000 and after that it would be measurable in digital figures.

We need to pay tribute to the people throughout the country who look after the group water schemes today and in years past. The report flies in the face of madness. Deputy Martin Kenny spoke about the situation in Lough Talt in Sligo. Some 50% of Irish Water's sources are in designated areas. People object to efforts to improve the quality of water. An Bord Pleanála mounts objections. It is very hard to improve the quality of water and put in proper systems when one arm of the State is stopping another from doing it.

A situation has arisen with An Bord Pleanála and the EPA. I know of a scheme in Glenamaddy where raw sewage has been an issue in report after report for the last 20 years. When Irish Water looked for planning permission and a discharge licence, lo and behold, it was blocked. The authorities wanted Irish Water to go seven miles down the road. That has a ferocious cost. On top of that they are taking Irish Water to court for the sins of years gone by, things that were not done by councils. They are fining Irish Water. The State is stealing money that is needed to put sewerage schemes in place. In fairness, people may give out about Irish Water, but I remember an incident in Roscommon two or three years ago. A "boil water" notice was applied to Williamstown, Cloonfad and Granlahan. Like a spare wheel, a temporary system was brought in from Israel to keep services going and then the scheme was put together.

Improvements have been made. However, there are small towns around this country into which we know raw sewage is going. If we want to solve this problem we need to allow a higher rate per house. At the moment it is something like €6,000. Irish Water will not do it on its own. If we encourage community groups to get together they will get the work done and help.

Moreover, issues are arising from the Water Framework Directive that are not helping the situation. Farmers have to record what they take out. If a river runs near some land, it is important to be able to install a sump pump and draw the water for cattle, rather than having to chlorinate it, apply ultraviolet radiation to it and so on before pumping it up and down the road. I ask for one thing. If anything is to come out of tonight's debate, I ask the Minister of State to put funding in place for those group water schemes that are not already in a scheme and may not have good water.

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