Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State and certainly agree with him regarding the word "customer".

This situation puts into acute focus the result of the Government's decision to put water under Uisce Éireann. If this was in the old days, not too long ago, there would be an urgent meeting of the city and council in Galway to discuss what was happening and the local councillors would be getting answers. That part is now missing. In addition, what is missing is any oversight by a Department that has allowed this answer to be issued. I understand the difficulties of the Minister of State in reading this out.

Since August, there has been a problem on Inishbofin. Islanders were told they could consume water once they boiled it but then they were told not to boil it, that the water was not fit for consumption. The Minister of State made reference to 10 September but that date is wrong in terms of when they were told on Inishbofin. They were told way back in August and then they were told again at the beginning of September. Then the notice changed and they are still in difficulty.

In terms of all three areas what I would like to know, and what should be contained in the Minister of State's response, is how the problem arose. What is wrong with the system? Is the system not fit for purpose? What is the connection between the three areas: Inis Oírr, Inishbofin and Ceantar Cois Fharraige? What has happened? What is the connection? What has Uisce Éireann done? What is the involvement of the EPA? What is wrong that they do not see the need to tell, at the very least, the GPs and the nurses in the area and to distribute newsletters to houses? That is what was done in Galway city when there were problems. I have no interest whatsoever in bashing staff but there is an obligation and a duty here to inform the public about their most basic right to have clean water.

I am going through countless emails and it is an absolute nightmare but I am being paid. What is it like for the people on the ground, to go through this? Sometimes the communication is only in English, sometimes it is in English and Irish but leaving that aside, the following basic questions must be answered. What has happened here? When is it going to be remedied? How did it happen and what is the EPA and the HSE saying about it?

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