Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I refer to the proposed new 170 km pipeline to bring water from the River Shannon into Dublin. It is proposed to pump 330 million litres per day from the River Shannon into the pipe infrastructure in Dublin which is leaking half its water. There is significant unease in the northern part of my constituency of Tipperary about this. The landowners along the route have already suffered as a result of a motorway going through their lands.

1 o’clock

We are seriously questioning Irish Water's use of its capital. Many of our towns need investment in waste water treatment plants. Some towns and villages have not even got a waste water treatment plant. Ironically, Ballina, on the River Shannon in Tipperary, needs serious investment in its waste water treatment plant, the lack of which is seriously damaging its potential to expand its tourism and business infrastructure. I ask that Irish Water examines its use of capital. Does it make sense to pump this amount of water from the Shannon throughout the country when the pipe infrastructure in Dublin is leaking half its water? This should be examined.

See this speech in context