Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South-West, Fianna Fail)

The Minister, Deputy Browne, apologised that he could not make it here to deal with this question personally, but we work collaboratively within the Department anyway. I will absolutely undertake to try to get more detail and a timeline. Regarding the cause of the issue, septicity is the cause of the odour. The untreated sewage at this point remains stagnant en route to the treatment plant, so it is not necessarily a situation where the treatment plant is not working. I am sorry to keep harping back to my own example, but the treatment plant in Courtmacsherry is working perfectly. The flow stops, though, where the raw sewage is being transported to the treatment plant and that is where we get the septicity. The chemical being added is the way of treating and trying to remove the odours. That is my understanding of the treatment process Uisce Éireann is incorporating in what it is doing in the Mahon area and in this instance. It may be the case, however, that the approach is not going to work and there may be a case for an extra pumping station to increase the flow so there is not the septicity and stagnant water. The Deputy is looking for clarity, more accurate answers and timelines, and I undertake to get those timelines for him.

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