Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. As I outlined, there is a compensation mechanism for business customers. Certainly, I appreciate the points raised about the communities in east Cork affected by this because it is a huge inconvenience, to put it mildly, when a boil water notice is in place, even if it is just around issues of turbidity in the water supply. It still requires customers to boil the water before consumption. I am not sure whether Uisce Éireann has arranged the supply of potable water through tankers in any of the communities affected. That might be worth considering in the interim while the capital project is under way. As I said it is a 22-month period to deliver that project. That will ultimately deal with the issue once and for all.

The deposit refund scheme is a good scheme. The mechanism is there for people to get a full refund on the purchase of bottles but ultimately having good potable water is better. In many cases, the water quality of municipal supplies is far better than much bottled water that people are buying off the shelves and there is no waste attached to drinking tap water. However, the tap water needs to be of good quality and that is a fundamental right that should be afforded to every citizen in the State.

I certainly will bring back the Deputy's concerns to our Department and to Uisce Éireann.

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