Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome this motion brought by the Independent Group as it is asking for funding to be delivered to the county councils. How can we provide information for renewals and town plans if we are unsure of the basic infrastructure that is available in our areas? Under section 48 of the Planning and Development Act, there is a statutory mechanism in place for councils to use financial contributions. This covers roads, car parks and parking spaces. It used to cover sewerage, treatment plants and flood relief but I believe that now comes directly from the Department to Irish Water. How can we develop our towns and villages if the funding now goes directly to Irish Water but Irish Water is not upgrading our sewerage systems or water systems? That means we cannot develop our towns and villages. Then the money comes to the county councils through active travel. Active travel is being directed towards footpaths and cycleways, which does not cover our towns and villages because our towns and villages need access to the cities. I am looking for the funding to come back to our road infrastructure, sewerage and water. If Irish Water is incapable of providing us with the basics so we can rebuild our towns and villages, which would mean our schools would be covered and employment would be provided locally because businesses could open, the Government should dissolve it, give the money back to the councils and let us rebuild our towns and villages. That seems to be the major problem here. Irish Water is looking for developers to come along and give money to do a survey of sewerage systems, which was already done by the local authorities before it took it over. It is absolutely nuts. Get rid of Irish Water and give the money back to the people who know how to spend it.

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