Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to have the privilege of being the first speaker on her watch.

I support the motion. I want to speak specifically about my constituency, which includes north and east Cork. In the first instance, I will speak for Mitchelstown. I have had engagement for quite some time with Cork County Council, Irish Water and local business interests in respect of the need to ensure the planned wastewater treatment plant upgrade will take place as soon as possible and, in the absence of this taking place within the next one to three years, the need for an interim solution to find capacity within the existing infrastructure so that planning and development can take place in Mitchelstown.

It is vital that Irish Water, Cork County Council and local industry interests, which are also vital to the community, come together to ensure an interim solution can be found so we can begin building houses again. If capacity could be found within the existing infrastructure, either by increasing the capacity of the existing wastewater treatment plant or by looking at the licensing arrangement on the outflow pipe, we could start to develop housing, residential properties and homes for people in towns such as Mitchelstown, which so badly needs it.

I am happy to say the quality of my engagement with Irish Water, Cork County Council and local business leaders has intensified in recent months. I am hopeful that short of building the new wastewater treatment plant an interim solution using the existing infrastructure can, in the short term, result in an agreement between all of the vital stakeholders, including Irish Water, Cork County Council, Dairygold, Ornua and the big industrial complexes vital to the future of Mitchelstown. I hope a way forward can be found under the existing infrastructure, resulting in the development of housing so that people can get on the housing ladder, footfall can be created in the town, businesses can continue to flourish and operate and more school places can be developed. If the town is to develop it needs an upgrade of the existing plant as an interim solution prior to the next investment coming down the track. If this can be done as a short-term measure it would provide massive alleviation to the people of Mitchelstown. It would also allow businesses to keep going and local developers to develop and build houses. This is what we want to see.

I am happy a solution is being worked on and it is a live process. I am hopeful there will be a positive outcome in the coming weeks that will at least allow business activity to start and allow developers to start turning sods and reignite planning applications. It would give them cover to be able to do so. If they are to flourish, towns such as Mitchelstown need an influx of new housing, new people and new generations to be created to ensure their future viability. I hope something can be done and we are actively working on finding an interim solution. I am devoting a lot of my time and energy towards giving effect to this.

I also want to speak about Glanworth. I welcome the engagement I have had so far with Irish Water in respect of the 2.3 km of water main that has been identified for rehabilitation. It is important that we acknowledge the €160,000 that has been allocated for 2021. I ask Irish Water to prioritise Glanworth. It is another important area that has been the subject of many breaks and leakages over recent years. While the citizens of Glanworth welcome the investment of €160,000, they want to see the upgrade of the 2.3 km of water main so this issue can be finally solved and put to bed. I continue to implore, ask and lobby in every way I can to ensure Glanworth is also seen to.

I also welcome the fact that works are taking place in Mallow. They will go a long way towards alleviating the sewerage issues in my home town. They will also ensure Mallow is given a chance to develop in a way that ensures no impediment is put in the way of future housing development. It is vital that towns such as Mallow, which is designated in the national planning framework, are given a chance to develop. As with Mitchelstown and all of the towns in my constituency, we want to see responsible development. We want to see proper capacity been built to ensure towns can flourish, local businesses and schools all benefit and we have the intergenerational flow that is vital and checks the balance of regional development against everything flowing towards the eastern seaboard. If towns such as Mallow are to flourish it is vital that they have the infrastructure to go with it.

I continue to work on a solution for Mitchelstown with Irish Water, Cork County Council and the other stakeholders. I hope we can find an interim solution.

It is vital that the licence is looked at in some way, shape or form in the future with a view to increasing the outflow capacity, so that when the new treatment plant is built there are no further issues down the line in relation to outflow. We must ensure that there is development in Mitchelstown, that we can build houses there and that local, intergenerational, family-run businesses are given a fighting change. We must ensure that young people who want to buy homes where they have grown up, work, live and have family links are not impeded in any way.

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