Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is astonishing, given this repeated and outrageous environmental vandalism of our UNESCO designated bay and all the associated waters, that the Minister and Irish Water would say that it is normal when one has storm water overflow then sewage will be pumped into Dublin Bay. Our great beaches of Dollymount and Sutton end up with an unbelievable smell and with contaminated waters. It is totally unacceptable. The Minister said it is a UNESCO designated bay, and it is the only one in a capital city on the whole planet, and yet he is not protecting it or taking the necessary steps. Everything seems to be future based. We have had discussions about the second sewage-wastewater plant. Irish Water appears to be determined to go ahead with placing that plant in the wrong location. It will exit into Baldoyle Bay, which is part of the Dublin Bay ecosystem. Nobody wants that plant located there. It should be based further north. I put it to the Minister that we need strong and urgent action that there will not be a recurrence of this. It is disgraceful.

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