Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I too welcome the opportunity to speak on this matter. I will start with a bit of positive news by welcoming the upgrades in Mallow, Cobh and Youghal. The environmental impact is welcome.

As many Deputies have said, we have major issues with capacity in other areas, particularly in my town of Midleton and in Mitchelstown. It is slowing down the building of homes. I know it has sometimes been mooted that it is not desirable to have people from the cities coming into the towns and jamming the place up but this is about having locals living locally, supporting local businesses and giving both an opportunity to grow. The capacity issue has been raised with me on numerous occasions and it is one of the stumbling blocks for local and regional development when it comes to housing. I also find it difficult to get replies from Irish Water when it comes to freedom of information requests. I remember sitting on Cork County Council discussing a county development plan a number of years ago for 2,000 homes where Irish Water refused to service a site and that development fell.

I would like to mention another issue with regard to capacity in a number of areas. The proposed treatment plant at White Bay Beach seems to be very small. I am wondering if Irish Water plans ahead when it comes to capacity in this because this treated sewage will be going into the bay there. I welcome that Ballycotton sewerage scheme is in its infancy but we need maximum investment in our sewerage and water systems. I worked in it for 20 years so I know how the system works. If we do not get this right, the impact will outweigh the environmental pluses. It goes back to the point that we do not want to start emptying out our towns and villages. There is great frustration that people cannot even build one-off houses because of capacity issues. I would like the Minister of State to address that.

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