Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to raise this important matter on behalf of the residents of Birch Hill, Aghadoe and Old Killarney Village. A total of 68 houses, one pub and restaurant and a commercial business are affected by what is happening. I ask that additional funding be provided to remove and replace three non-performing wastewater treatment plants and connect to the live public sewer to take sewage to the treatment plant in Killarney. The pipe has already been brought north of the N22, which was a considerable task along a busy road from the Cleeney roundabout to the bottom of Madam's Hill north of the N22. The dangerous and tough work has been done efficiently and effectively at night by the contractors John McGillycuddy and John Donovan. The latter brought the sewage to his estate, which has been built since. All that needs to be done is to connect to that.

Funding of €401,588 was provided on 21 September 2020. Much has changed since then and this funding is no longer adequate. I am asking for additional funding to ensure this work goes ahead. Kerry County Council has done great work. Tadhg Meehan, Paul Neary and Charlie O'Leary are very able men who have done their best to try to get this over the line. However, the route they were trying to take the pipe or thought it could be taken could not be obtained. They have to take it a longer way around, which will cost more. In 2020, things were much cheaper. The design was much cheaper. We do not know the exact figure but the cost will be almost twice the amount that was granted.

I did not agree with a lot that the former Minister, John Gormley, did in this time. However, one good thing he insisted on and for which he brought a Bill through the Dáil was that estates would have to be taken in charge. These housing estates are typical examples. They were built more than 20 years ago. The residents are very worried because the council's environment section is out to them continuously due to serious pollution problems. The Minister of State can imagine where it is. It is on the top of Aghadoe, looking down on the lakes of Killarney. Anything that goes wrong has to go into the lakes. This request has been ongoing for many years. I raised it several times on Kerry County Council before I left in 2016. Councillor Maura Healy-Rae repeatedly tables motions on the issue. Everyone is doing their best, but Kerry County Council and I realise that we need a lot more money. I am asking the Minister to look at this. If we are serious about pollution and protecting health, we have to address this issue. There are 68 houses affected. I appeal to the Minister of State to give us the extra funding to allow this project to go ahead.

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