Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The purpose of this Bill is to create a registration and licensing system for the abstraction of water from the water table.

This is yet another EU directive that the Government has been slow to implement. The Government has been very fast in trying to saddle the people with water charges to suit its privatisation agenda but slow in addressing water quality and supply issues.

The Bill is a legal requirement of the water framework directive and is many years overdue. Many other jurisdictions, including the North of Ireland and Scotland, have had similar water abstraction arrangements for many years. Deputy Ó Broin has referred to this. There must be proper management of the water system. Having a registration and licensing system for water abstraction is a good start. This Bill will modernise the regime for water abstraction, which is outdated and limited in scope. The current scheme is based on legislation enacted in 1942 and 1964.

The Bill will provide a pretty simple registration system for water abstraction, subject to a minimum threshold under which registration is not required. The EPA will administer a licensing regime for water abstraction over a specified threshold. Uisce Éireann, as the national authority for water services, will have the power to abstract subject to EPA licensing and to appeal to An Bord Pleanála regarding possible impacts on third-party water rights. Emergency powers will be available to Uisce Éireann to abstract, where required, due to drought. The Bill provides for compensation for material adverse effects caused by interference with water rights as a result of public abstraction.

I am wary of going into too much detail given the time allowed. This important Bill runs to 114 pages and the digest alone runs to 22 pages. The Sustainable Water Network report runs to 231 pages. The Oireachtas housing committee's pre-legislative scrutiny report unanimously agreed that the thresholds proposed by the Government should be raised to bring them into line with those in the North of Ireland. The committee made 13 recommendations in total and the Sustainable Water Network has called for their implementation in full.

The thresholds for both registration and licensing are too low. During pre-legislative scrutiny, the committee heard evidence on thresholds currently operating in the North and Scotland. Sinn Féin tabled amendments in the Seanad to give effect to the committee report recommendations but they were rejected by the Government.

We must ensure that all abstractions of 10 cu. m per day or more are required to be on the register of abstractions. All abstractions of 20 cu. m per day or more should have to apply for an abstraction licence. The Minister of State must recognise the need to ensure species and habitats are protected under the habitats directive and birds directive. Over-abstraction can cause springs to dry up and wells to empty. It can also cause subsidence and reduced river flow. Poor management of the water system can have significant health, environmental and biodiversity implications. Poor management of the water system can also have a negative impact on water supply and quality, particularly near large water extractors, including data centres and drinks manufacturers.

Sinn Féin has argued that the provision in the Bill that no existing abstractor can be refused a licence should be removed. We need to go further to prevent further environmental damage. The EPA must be properly resourced to run the registration and licensing regime. It is vital to have an adequate inspection and enforcement regime to underpin the regulations.

As the Minister of State knows, where I come from is pretty near the border with his county. We call Monasterevin the Venice of Ireland. We must give specific recognition and protection to canals and navigable waters there.

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