Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister of State knows, the council is not a water authority and, as such, it does not have funding to do this work.

It is all very much dependent on the taking in charge initiative with the €31 million in funding that is already in place. Not all of the funding that was allocated was used. In fact, very little of it was used because it was identified that there was a bigger job needed on it and that the taking in charge initiative would be the only show in town to benefit people in Crossbarry.

I have raised repeatedly the launching and reopening of this scheme so that places such as Crossbarry can apply. In summer 2017, it was happening shortly. In summer 2018, it was happening shortly. In the autumn, it was happening shortly. Now, the Minister of State is telling me that it is slipping off into 2019. People in Crossbarry need a result on it. They need to see that there will be action on that treatment plant at the end of the village and that they will not be pushed on further and further. Each time, we are being told it is some other time. In the interests of people in Crossbarry, we cannot afford to let those timelines slip. They need to see that there will be a result on it. Hearing that it is slipping off into the start of 2019 is not good enough for people in Crossbarry.

When the new scheme opens, because Crossbarry has been through the pilot and assessed and we know exactly what is needed there, can it be prioritised? Can it be fast-tracked through it or do they have to make a new application because it was the only one in the original pilot that did not go to construction? All of the assessments have been conducted on what is needed in linking up the various services in Crossbarry. Can it be fast-tracked?

Will the Minister of State give an assurance that the timeline will not continue to slip? We have seen it already slip from summer 2017 to summer 2018 to autumn and now into the start of 2019. In the interests of people in Crossbarry, will the Minister of State give an assurance that it will happen?

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