Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I raise the issue of our wastewater infrastructure, or rather the lack thereof. I agree with the mantra the Government repeats that we cannot use this surplus to invest in current expenditure because we cannot rely on that money, it might run out, and we will then require cutbacks. However, what we can do is to invest that money in necessary infrastructure.

I want to focus on County Clare, in particular, because that is the county I know best, but it is the same as every other county in the country. It is, in particular, the same as every other coastal county in the country. This year, there is a new scheme, which I welcome. It is going to cost €6 million to put in sewerage infrastructure for the first time in settlements without sewers. Irish Water states that if there is no sewer in an area, no matter how bad the situation is, it is not its problem. The county councils states that they no longer have a water infrastructure remit so it not their problem. It is nobody's problem, but it is a problem for all of us if we are pumping raw sewage into our rivers and streams, and into the sea. That is what we are doing all over this State at the moment, as we run a surplus and do nothing with it.

I recently asked a couple of questions that were ruled out of order because the Minister has no responsibility to answer questions in the Dáil about Irish Water. I ask for the Government's co-operation to fix that. It is a matter of concern for us all because we are paying for Irish Water. The Exchequer pays for Irish Water and the Dáil is supposed to supervise it. More fundamentally, I ask the Government to properly address this lack of infrastructure.

Irish Water pleaded guilty to five of 13 charges with regard to the Miltown Malbay plant in November 2022. I asked what the plant was doing about it. It is going to carry out an assessment. Spanish Point is nearby. It is an important settlement with no wastewater infrastructure whatsoever. A third settlement at Seafield, Quilty is beside Spanish Point. The wastewater treatment plant there is operating at only 51% capacity. I asked if an assessment had been carried out as to whether sewage could be brought from Spanish Point, which is an important settlement. The Taoiseach may even have visited it; lots of people have. It is a lovely place to visit, except for the fact the sewage is probably flowing untreated into the sea.

The same is true of Carrigaholt, which is beside a special area of conservation, SAC, as is Spanish Point. Doolin is another beautiful settlement with the same problem. If we are not going to solve that problem now when we have an enormous surplus, when are we going to do so? Are we saying this is optional expenditure and we will wait until we have spent a couple of million euro in the European Court of Justice and be forced to do it? Are we actually going to stop shitting in our rivers in this State in 2023?

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