Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In many parts of our country, infrastructure is greatly lacking, leaving many towns and villages dying a death and nowhere is this more evident than in west Cork. A complete lack of investment by successive Governments has left two bypasses promised to the people of Bandon unfinished, one bypass in Inishannon, not only unfinished but not even started, and a promised bypass for Bantry not even started. Not one passing bay has been built in decades, limiting car drivers to tractor and lorry pace on all of the main roads in west Cork.

Our great town of Bantry in west Cork was flooded once again two weeks ago because a flood-relief scheme promised for 30 years remains undone. However, today I want to concentrate on the lack of investment in wastewater treatment plants by Uisce Éireann. Shannonvale in Clonakilty has raw sewage bursting out of an outdated wastewater treatment system onto what is supposed to be a children's play park which is now blocked off. The stinking substance leeches into the Argideen river close to the intake pipe for Clonakilty drinking water. This has been going on for 27 years.

Heading west to Rosscarbery, the famous Warren Beach was closed to the public this year because bacteria were found in the bathing water. People could clearly see suspended solids in the water, all due to the wastewater treatment tank in need of upgrading. We can travel down the road to Dunmanway where an outdated wastewater treatment plant had a continuous discharge of sewage into the Bandon river during the summer. This outdated treatment plant is at capacity thus preventing growth in a thriving town. All development has been stopped in the town and for how many years ahead we do not know. Heading west to Ballydehob, an overloaded outdated wastewater treatment tank pours raw sewage directly into the estuary. This tank has failed the test for several emission level values every year since 2015 and nothing has been done. Farther west, Goleen also has an outdated wastewater treatment plant. In 1999 when the council was still in charge, it was shown to have raw sewage entering the local waters from the tank. Even though it needed to be addressed at the time, nothing has happened since.

During the summer I attended numerous public meetings in these towns and there is huge anger. We have met representatives of Uisce Éireann and each time we are told it may or may not be in its plans for 2025 to 2029 while all these plants keep pouring raw sewage into the sea. All this time, the EPA is not to be found anywhere. I recently called on the EPA to furnish me with the report from Shannonvale for 27 years, only to be given a report going back a few months, leading me to ask the question: what is it hiding? What will we tell these communities when we canvass them in the general election campaign? Rosscarbery has been waiting for ten years, Dunmanway 15 years, Ballydehob 20 years, Goleen 25 years and Shannonvale 27 years for proper wastewater treatment plants. Can we tell them that the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, will personally intervene with Uisce Éireann? It cannot be left to hide behind this nonsense. I hear that scientific evidence is needed. Raw sewage out of a wastewater treatment plant is simply raw sewage. I ask the Minister to step in and set up a task force, led by him, which within six months will give clear dates for the start and completion of these urgent projects in west Cork.

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