Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following:

“Dáil Éireann resolves that the Local Government (Water Pollution) (Amendment) Bill 2018 be deemed to be read a second time on 31 December, 2019, to allow for the conclusion of work by the Rural Water Review Group, which was established in the light of the recommendations of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services, given that the review group is considering issues of long-term funding and regulation of the rural water sector, a matter which is germane to the policy underpinning of the Bill, and in addition, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will publish a revised Code of Practice for Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Systems Serving Single Houses for public consultation in early 2019, which is expected to be finalised before the end of 2019, and which will contribute to the debate on the issue.”.

I thank the Deputy and congratulate him for bringing forward this Bill. I am glad that he has provided an opportunity for us to debate this issue in the House because it is important. It comes at a time when we are focusing on making improvements to rural water services in the context of the water services policy statement which I published earlier this year. That statement reflects the priorities set out in Project Ireland 2040, our national planning framework for the next 20 years. It also sets out the national policy objective, which is facilitating single housing in the countryside based on siting and design criteria for rural housing in statutory plans and having regard to the viability of smaller towns and rural settlements. Essentially we are talking about protecting our communities. This is exactly what the national planning framework speaks to. Some 75% of future growth will happen outside of Dublin. Protecting and maintaining the viability of our rural communities is a priority for this Government and the role of single housing in maintaining those communities is essential, provided such development does not have a negative impact on our natural environment. I think we all agree on that. This Government has been working with relevant rural local authorities such as Leitrim, Sligo and others to ensure, through the investigation of new technologies to treat wastewater and protect our groundwater sources, that those who need and want to live and work in rural Ireland are not being inhibited in doing so. We will continue to support the provision of one-off rural housing where it is needed and wanted and where we can ensure the protection of our natural environment and water sources.

The issue is how we manage the impact of such waste discharges in a way that does not have a negative impact on our environment. For these reasons, the Government is proposing that the Bill be deemed to be read a Second Time on 31 December 2019, to allow for the conclusion of work by the rural water review group, which was established in light of the recommendations of the Oireachtas committee. This is not about kicking the can down the road. We are almost there with the work that we set out to do with an Oireachtas committee, with the establishment of the rural water review group and the work it is doing and will complete in the course of next year. It is considering issues of long-term funding and regulation of the rural water sector, a matter which is germane to the policy underpinning of this Bill. I hope that the work will be concluded earlier than set out in the Government's amendment and, in that context, and if it would gain the support of the House for the Government proposal, I would be happy for the Bill to progress earlier on the basis that it would be predicated on the work which would be completed by the rural water review group at that stage. In addition, the EPA will publish a revised code of practice for wastewater treatment and disposal systems serving single houses for public consultation in early 2019. The revised code of practice is expected to be finalised later in 2019. The public consultation will contribute further to the debate on the issue. That work is almost concluded. If the rural water review group concludes earlier in the year, which I believe it will, we already have the public consultation by the EPA under way. That will better inform what we hope to achieve in this area and what is laid out in the national planning framework.

The protection and improvement of our water quality is a key challenge facing Ireland in the years ahead. Good water quality is critical to our well-being as individuals, as a society, as an economy and as a country.

In working to protect water quality we are protecting a resource that is fundamental to Ireland as we know it. The resource is critical to our future, rural and urban. It underpins our well-being and our economy. Good water quality is a key driver of economic activity in sectors such as agrifood, pharmaceuticals and tourism, all of which rely on a safe and secure water supply.

Our water bodies are natural resources that have been passed down to us by previous generations. We owe it to ourselves and to future generations to protect them. In doing so we have to find appropriate solutions to maintain and sustain rural communities and connections to the countryside. This point is equally important as we look to urban settings with a view to ensuring that we continue to build up our urban cores, as outlined in the national planning framework. The aim of this policy is to ensure compact and sustainable growth. We must do this in a sustainable way without doing harm to our environment, whether the local natural environment or our water bodies and courses and the marine environment.

The Water Framework Directive recognises this reality and sets for EU member states the basic target of restoring all waters to good quality by 2027 at the latest. The directive stipulates that we must not allow waters currently in good status to slip back. This is a highly challenging target as Ireland continues to grow and industries and other activities with an impact on water quality continue to expand. It is also challenging because in 2014 we established a national utility to co-ordinate many of the services that had been provided by local authorities previously.

Research and analysis by the Environmental Protection Agency has shown that over the past decade the quality of our water has stood still at best and there are some concerning indications of decline in certain areas. The absence of appropriate investment and a single national utility has not helped us in this regard. Now that we have a national utility that is protected and we have investment certainty in the years ahead we will be able to make great gains in the coming years. We must ensure that, as we do so, we do not do anything to unintentionally damage water courses or water sources throughout the country.

As we look to the future we are faced with increasing demands on our water resources from a growing population and economy. It is essential that we take strong steps to protect and improve our water quality. The River Basin Management Plan 2018-2021, which I published in April of this year, sets out a range of detailed actions and implementing measures. The plan takes a fresh approach to the protection, improvement and sustainable management of the water environment. We now have a much-improved evidence base to support the development of new national policies and initiatives and to more effectively guide the deployment of supporting measures at local level. We have seen the benefit of a national utility, especially in the context of the co-ordination and research undertaken during the recent summer period when we had a severe drought. Given what we had learned through different storm events about what was happening in our water systems we were better able to manage the drought throughout the country.

Several specific actions are to be undertaken. One relates to extension of the domestic wastewater treatment systems grant scheme. The scheme will assist with the costs of septic tank remediation in high status water areas. The development of water and planning guidance for local authorities is another. This will help local authorities to consider the risks to water quality during planning and development decision-making. Another action relates to a blue dot catchment programme. The new programme will create a network of excellent river and lake areas. Agencies will work together to protect or restore excellent water quality in these water bodies.

High water quality is essential to our rural economy and I am delighted that the dairy industry is working in partnership with Teagasc, the local authorities and my Department to engage with farmers on how best to protect this most important of assets. Irish agriculture prides itself on quality inputs that produce excellent produce and water is, of course, an essential part of that equation. Protecting the quality of our waters is of equal interest to agriculture and industry as it is to our environmental sector and there is now a shared recognition of this common cause. This new collaborative sustainability and advisory support programme consists of 30 sustainability advisers who will promote best farming practice in 190 areas chosen for action for up to 5,000 farmers. The dairy sustainability initiative, which is being spearheaded by the industry to help improve water quality, will see an additional 18,000 dairy farmers receive advice on sustainable farming practices in the 190 areas for action.

The Government recognises the importance of the role of civic society in safeguarding water, whether for services to urban and rural areas or water in the aquatic environment. For this reason, and in line with our commitment in the river basin management plan, I was delighted to statutorily establish An Fóram Uisce, the national water forum, this summer. The purpose of the forum is to provide a national stakeholder-led platform for public engagement on all matters relating to water as an environmental, social and economic resource. The forum provides an opportunity to debate and analyse a range of issues with regard to water quality, rural water concerns, issues affecting customers of Irish Water and the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive in this jurisdiction.

Public awareness of and participation in increased water conservation and initiatives to protect water quality in our rivers, lakes and coastal waters is essential for our long-term sustainability. A national appreciation of the links between water and public health, economic progress and environmental protection is built and reinforced by wider civic society debate and discussion on an ongoing basis. This is happening at the moment. Earlier today in the House we were debating issues around water quality insofar as they affect not only our generation but future generations as well.

The local authority water programme was established under the river basin management plan as a local authority shared service with the aim of driving public engagement, participation and consultation with communities and stakeholders at local level. It co-ordinates these activities across all 31 local authorities. The programme works to ensure that public and stakeholder engagement will result in meaningful public and stakeholder participation in water quality improvements throughout Ireland. The programme is engaging with interested stakeholders and individuals through their ongoing public meetings throughout the country as part of their implementation strategy for the current plan.

Government is now approaching water in an integrated and holistic manner. In May of this year I published a water services policy statement, the first time any Government has done so.

While the purpose of the legislation before the House is that of rural development, it should be viewed through the prism of possible impact on water quality in the receiving rivers and lakes as well. The discharge of effluent to surface waters presents a significantly higher risk of pollution. The appropriate mechanism for consideration of this aspect of the issue is the rural water review group, to which I referred to earlier in my contribution. The group has a broad remit. Strand 1 of the work has looked at immediate funding requirements of the group water sector, the level of private wells grants and the enhanced septic tank grant scheme recommended under the river basin management plan published in April this year. These recommendations will shortly be submitted for ministerial consideration. Strand 2 of the work will look more broadly at the future investment needs of the sector and as well as appropriate regulation of the sector.

Accordingly, I am proposing that the Second Reading of the Bill be deferred to allow for the conclusion of work by the rural water review group. At that point we can come to consideration of the Deputy's Bill.

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