Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that the Minister of State is filling in for the Minister responsible for this area and I appreciate the response he read out.

From discussions with Mayo County Council, I understand that both the local authority and many group water schemes are ready and waiting to act on requests for submissions for new water connections. The Minister of State outlined the additional €50 million measure for wastewater collection and treatment needs but the priority in this discussion is new connections. The lack of communication regarding a submission process framework to fund bids for the new four-year cycle has been disappointing. The disappointment of people in north Mayo every time they ring our constituency office is heartbreaking. Many of the residents in Carrowteige have received pre-connection permission from Irish Water. Their proposal was submitted and reviewed and it was deemed feasible so the next stage of the process is where the real bottleneck is. Everyone is in agreement that the programme is of vital importance to householders and rural Ireland. Everyone should have an entitlement to clean running water.

I will make an additional point to the Department on the grant aid per household. I ask that the Minister review the connection fee of €9,000 per household and also waive the Irish Water connection charges, which are over €2,200, in light of the current rate of inflation in the costs of materials etc., so that we can deliver these schemes on the ground. I ask that the Minister bring forward the report, take on board its recommendations and instruct all local authorities to make their submissions in a swift manner.

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