Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Since I was elected, wastewater treatment is a recurring issue raised by communities in Cork South-West. I am focusing on the cases of Belgooly and Shannonvale tonight but I will send details to the Minister of State about issues in areas from Bandon to Goleen on the Mizen Peninsula.

From an environmental and health perspective, the very least people should expect is the proper treatment of wastewater and household sewage. However, years of under-investment in water infrastructure has left communities and areas exposed to discharges and serious malodour. The EPA report entitled Water Quality in Ireland 2013-2018 found that almost half of our rivers, lakes and estuaries are ecologically unsatisfactory. Wastewater discharge is listed as one of the main causes of deterioration, after agriculture.

The programme for Government acknowledges our water infrastructure deficits and their role in pollution and environmental damage. I welcome the commitment to ensure Irish Water can invest in wastewater treatment and want to raise two cases in west Cork which need to be prioritised. Belgooly is a wonderful village between Cork city and Kinsale, a great place to live near the coast. However, the quality of life for residents in Riverbank and surrounding estates has been seriously affected by awful odours coming from a wastewater treatment plant for close to two years now. Residents there have to keep their windows closed, and at times they cannot let their children out to play. There are also reports of untreated wastewater from this plant being discharged into a nearby estuary. I will quote a tweet by a local from 11 July: "Another beautiful day ended abruptly with the horrendous malodour from our treatment plant, the smell is in my home, we had to close all windows again and endure the smell indoors as well as outdoors. We can't even open our windows tonight to cool down!" This plant is not working. It is clearly not fit for purpose. The most distressing thing for residents is that this is not being resolved. Repeated complaints have been lodged with Irish Water and the EPA. Engineers visit, the tank is de-sludged and we are assured the plant is within capacity, yet the issue remains.

I and my team have been attempting to deal with this issue for considerably less time than the residents, but we are finding ourselves lost between Irish Water and other bodies, between different reports, and other bureaucratic barriers. The people of Belgooly are being fobbed off. This cannot go on. Will the Minister of State give me an assurance that he will take action on this?

That is not all. There is one more case I want to raise. There is also a desperate need for immediate action on the issue of an overflowing septic tank in Shannonvale near Clonakilty. The plant, which services nine houses in the area, was put into the park in the middle of the village. It is a beautiful site next to the Argideen river, which used to host many community events until this was installed. It was the town park and public amenity area. Now it is overgrown and dilapidated with a septic tank that is overflowing with untreated water that is flooding into the area and then entering the river. The Minister of State can imagine how awful that is for residents in Shannonvale. The park should be the heart of the village but instead it is currently unsafe for children to play in. Irish Water, Cork County Council and the EPA have all been aware of the situation for years, but it has not been resolved.

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