Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

One of the big issues we need to deal with is the development of infrastructure, particularly around our villages and small towns. One of my concerns relating to the Cork area is that Cork County Council is being asked to dezone land in certain areas. Irish Water is now dictating the future development of the county in that it is not going to develop sewage treatment facilities in certain towns and villages. How do we fast-track the tackling of this issue? Can Irish Water engage with private enterprise on the developing the necessary infrastructure? I am dealing with a situation where a State agency, namely, Inland Fisheries Ireland, IFI, objected to the building of a new school. I estimate this objection, which has now been dealt with by An Bord Pleanála, added approximately €2.5 million to the cost of building that school in real terms because of the delays that have occurred. This is not the way for a State agency to deal with matters. Instead of dealing with the Department of Education, IFI should have been engaging with Irish Water about the development of sewage treatment facilities.

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