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

-----and anti-afforestation. Licensing in afforestation has dropped by 100%. The Government is anti-transport, delaying the ability of persons to get a driving test by up to six months in rural Ireland. Driving is our only form of transport. I cannot stress enough the importance of this for our population. To get to schools, colleges, sport and work in rural Ireland, we need basic infrastructure.

I got an update from Uisce Éireann on infrastructure in which loose statements were made. In regard to Kilbeheny, Uisce Éireann stated it did not even know there was a sewerage system there, even though there was one there 50 years ago and even though the agency had upgraded the road and storm water drain and connected it to the existing sewer. It did not even know it had it, but it said there is a sewerage system for three houses in Kilbeheny. It said it did not know the infrastructure was there.

In regard to Askeaton, Uisce Éireann stated it is going to appoint a service engineer from 2025 to 2029. For 38 years, Askeaton has been looking for a sewerage system. One of the Tánaiste's own Fianna Fáil councillors has been announcing it all the time. He is now about to retire and it still has not been done, and now the agency is saying it will be in 2029.

As for Oola, Uisce Éireann stated it will issue a contractor in 2024 but will not increase capacity. That means there will be no extra population in these areas, which means I cannot help the schools, the businesses and everything else I want to do there. Hospital continues to experience the same situation. There are 20 new houses in Hospital. It had to install five on-site sewerage systems in the area to serve those houses. Raw sewage is going into the rivers. The Government itself is the biggest polluter in Ireland and it will fine everyone else.

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