Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for raising these issues.

Starting with Deputy Ó Murchú and the issue of Carlinn Hall in Dundalk, this is a matter he has raised before in the context of how we need to have a better support scheme for renewable energy and district heating and, ideally, for the optimal use of waste heat. I will speak directly to the Ministers involved in this regard and ask them to consider what the Deputy said.

Turning to the issue raised by Deputy Barry, truthfully, I raised this issue as recently as this morning with the Tánaiste and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy O'Brien. I believe the Minister for housing is due to meet with Uisce Éireann today. I did highlight that I regularly get asked in this House by the Deputy about the water situation in Cork. I wrote, as recently as last week or in the past ten days, I think, to the chief executive directly, as I promised I would. I have my office checking now if I have received a reply but I will send the Deputy a copy of the letter I sent. I do know how serious this situation is for the Deputy's constituents and I will seek an urgent response to my letter if one has not been received so far.

I will, truthfully, have to find out for Deputy Boyd Barrett where the marine protected areas legislation is at. I too see that it is on the priority list for publication, but I ask the Deputy to let me check what the timeline in this regard looks like. I will come to him in writing in regard to this matter.

Moving to Deputy Murphy, I will be very happy to meet the Protect Moylisha Hill group. I have met its representatives at several events in my constituency over the last period of time and I was planning on having a more substantial meeting with them as a constituency TD. I will certainly be happy to do that.

I thank Deputy Tóibín for raising this matter. He might share with me, if he is happy to do so, any documents he has received. I will certainly have our relevant Departments look at this matter. I do know that at the most recent meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council, which took place before I became Taoiseach but which I attended as a Minister, the specific issue of Lough Neagh was discussed and how the two Administrations on the island of Ireland could co-operate in terms of what is a very serious environmental catastrophe. I am grateful for the Deputy's insight in this regard and happy to take a look at the matter.

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