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

Page 38 of the programme for Government commits the Government to implement the plans set out by Irish Water to upgrade our dilapidated water infrastructure, including wastewater treatment plants. As the Taoiseach is aware, another temporary bathing ban was introduced at several of Dublin's beaches due to the overflow of wastewater from the Ringsend water treatment plant. In February, the Environmental Protection Agency told the Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government that raw sewage from the equivalent of 86,000 people was flowing into our waterways every day. The State is facing infringement proceedings from the European Commission due to its failure to invest adequately in our wastewater treatment facilities. Can the Taoiseach outline where these proceedings are, what the Government is doing to avoid significant EU fines and when our rivers and beaches will be safe, clean and fully compliant with EU law?

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