Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I am pleased that he and the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, are committed to the funding of the wastewater treatment plants in the small towns and villages growth programme. It was on the scheme in October 2021. The Minister of State outlined what Irish Water said. The initial steps involve the assessment of needs process. The correlation of data is under way. When will the data be ready? We welcome the commitment of the Government and the Minister, who visited the site recently and gave serious commitment to it. What we are looking for here is to make sure that Castlemagner is prioritised, given all the projects that are being developed around the country. There is real scope here for houses to be built to alleviate the national crisis in housing. After today’s discussion, I seek that a clear indication would be given on the project. The initial steps involve the assessment of needs and the correlation of data. When will the data be ready and the scenarios developed and considered? There is a lot of work to be done in regard to scoping of the work that is needed and the detailed design and planning. That will all take time as going through the statutory process takes time. I ask the Minister of State to use his good offices and those of the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, to make sure that there is no delay in Castlemagner and that there is a clear indication of when the project will commence. Perhaps after today's discussion, the Minister of State might seek information from Irish Water and report back to me on the exact timing of the steps that are required and their timeframe on a monthly basis to make sure that this project becomes a reality in the short term. It is hugely important that the work is developed as a matter of urgency for the community and to make sure that housing is provided for people.

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