Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Irish Water has been asked to upgrade the water network across the country and has been doing so in a very efficient way. It has been investing considerable funds in making our supply safer and to understand what exactly is in it. There used to be 35 local authorities doing their own thing and that resulted in a significant and very dangerous deterioration in water infrastructure across the country. Irish Water has exposed a lot of that ugliness and danger but, in doing so, it has created a lot of inconvenience because once a problem is exposed, it has to be fixed. Irish Water is setting about doing that.

From my experience, while there are some exceptions, Irish Water has been pretty good about notifying not only local businesses but also local public representatives.

If there are issues in Athlone, as there clearly are, I will try to obtain specific answers. With regard to Sligo, I was there recently and this issue was raised with me directly. Reference was made to the length of time for which boil-water notices have been in force and the number of people affected. To be fair, planning delays are as frustrating to Irish Water as to those involved in any other project being developed.

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