Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)

I have met them. We discussed one of the critical issues in towns and villages across the country, which is the need to free up capacity, for example to local builders if they are developing a housing estate of 20 houses or 50 houses so that they would be able to develop their own treatment facility according to the specifications set by Uisce Éireann. That would then be subject to inspection. I think that would help to create additional housebuilding in towns and villages throughout the country where currently, because of the absence of capacity or because there is no further capacity, such projects cannot get off the ground. A memorandum of understanding is being developed by Uisce Éireann in respect of that issue to set out the proposals to enable it to happen.

On the separation of storm water from sewage, I will not profess I am not as technically competent as the Deputy in this area. Likewise, the Deputy mentioned the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA. All of Uisce Éireann's work is subject to compliance with the EPA, which is one of the regulatory authorities that govern Uisce Éireann along with the Commission for Regulation of Utilities and others. There has been a lot of progress made; of that there is no doubt. There has been a dramatic increase in water quality across the length and breadth of the country over the past decade or so. Local authorities did a lot of that work initially prior to the establishment of Irish Water. I think we need to maintain or retain local competence and knowledge in our local authorities on water, sewerage and so forth. There needs to be good partnerships between local authorities and Irish Water in that respect.

I visited Arklow recently where a first-class state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant was provided by Irish Water six months ahead of schedule and on budget. A lot of progress is happening. I will relay what the Deputy was saying to Irish Water. I do not know whether the Deputy has engaged with its representatives, or others, as a Dáil Deputy. I note that the most favoured words among Independent groupings in this House are "common sense".

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