Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy O'Rourke for raising the need to discuss the water supply issues in Duleek and Stalleen. I am taking this Topical Issue debate on behalf of the Minister for housing, Deputy James Browne, who is my colleague in the Department. I appreciate Deputy O'Rourke's concerns for the services and businesses affected. He has outlined it very well.

The Deputy will appreciate that the operation of the public water supply, together with operational issues locally, are matters for Uisce Éireann, which has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at the national, regional and local level. Under section 7 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013, neither I, as Minister of State, nor my Department has an operational function in the matter to which the Deputy refers. However, I have made specific inquiries and am informed that there have been a number of bursts on the Duleek to Staleen water main in recent weeks, as the Deputy noted. Uisce Éireann would like to assure customers that when an unplanned outage occurs, local water services crews are immediately dispatched to do repair work as soon as possible. Their focus is always on ensuring the water supply is returned to all customers as quickly as possible.

Uisce Éireann is currently reviewing the Staleen to Duleek water main following the water outages in recent weeks. The Deputy referred to the substantial body of work. Uisce Éireann is looking at this specific issue and it is something I specifically inquired about today. Uisce Éireann is developing several strategically important drinking water projects in this area and it is worth going through the details of those.

Uisce Éireann is progressing the Duleek to Navan trunk water main project, which is one of a number of strategically important projects under way to increase the security and resilience of drinking water supply across County Meath. This project represents an investment of €41 million to safeguard the water supply to homes and businesses in Navan. The provision of this new 16 km regional trunk water main and pumping station will create a strategic link between the Staleen water treatment plant, at a point just south of Duleek, and the Proudstown and Carn Hill reservoirs, which provide treated water storage for Navan.

Uisce Éireann is also progressing plans to replace and increase the capacity of the existing water pipeline from Staleen water treatment plant to Windmill Hill reservoir. This is another strategically important project to increase the security and resilience of drinking water supply across County Meath. The project team is currently engaging with landowners to determine the route selection.

Uisce Éireann has a communications protocol in place for all planned interruptions whereby customers are notified in advance, including a text alert system that customers can sign up to.

I have no doubt it has been difficult and distressing for homeowners, people who are renting and businesses due to the leaks between Staleen and Duleek. As I said, Uisce Éireann is currently reviewing the issue with the Staleen to Duleek water main following the outage in recent weeks and it is actively following up on this. I note the point the Deputy raises with regard to a phased approach and it is something I will bring back to the Minister and Uisce Éireann. The Deputy might follow up with direct correspondence to the Minister and we can then follow up with Uisce Éireann on that point. The more immediate issue of the outage in Duleek is being actively looked at by Uisce Éireann.

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