Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The solution is the immediate prioritisation or fast-tracking of the Staleen water treatment plant to Windmill Hill reservoir project. I want to put a couple of points on the record. A public meeting is scheduled on this issue for tomorrow week, Thursday, at 8.30 p.m. in the Duleek-Bellewstown community centre. I would encourage representatives of Uisce Éireann and the Minister or Minister of State with responsibility to attend that. The meeting is organised by Senator Sharon Keogan and it will be important to have cross-party representation, with all of our local representatives there and working with the local community to speak with one voice on this project.

I would repeat the substantial point. While I acknowledge the points the Minister of State has made, the Staleen water treatment plant to Windmill Hill reservoir project is a major project that is some 18 km long. The Minister of State has outlined the current position, which is that it is still at the stage of consultation with landowners. This is a massive project and it will take a long time but the residents and businesses in this area cannot wait a long time. I am making the case that we look at the project with a view to getting it from Staleen to beyond Duleek in the first instance. It cross-cuts with the existing network and there are points where it could tie back in with the existing network. However, that section of the project must be prioritised. We need to find a long-term solution and it needs to be delivered quickly due to these continued outages.

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