Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 80: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps which have been taken to put in place controls to prevent foul odours from the Ringsend waste water treatment plant since the Commission's statement of April 2005 of its intention to take the Government to the European Court over breaches in EU environmental law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16349/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Odour incidents at Dublin City Council's Ringsend waste water treatment plant, which is operated on the city council's behalf under a public private partnership contract, have originated from the on-site sludge treatment facility. A programme of works has been implemented by the city council, which has greatly improved the overall situation since summer 2004. Regrettably, the odour problem re-emerged for short periods earlier this year due to maintenance procedures and equipment failure in the sludge process that have since been addressed. There was also a fire in the plant.

The council is continuing to work closely with the consortium that operates the plant to achieve a resolution of any outstanding odour issues. In that context, the council has appointed international engineering consultants, who recently commenced a comprehensive review of all aspects of the plant, including the design and ongoing operation and management performance.

The recent announcement by the European Commission of the initiation of proceedings in the European Court of Justice on odours from waste water treatment plants arose originally from a complaint about the Greystones sewerage scheme, which has, thankfully, been resolved, and not the Ringsend plant. The EU action does not relate to Ringsend per se, but to the Commission's concern that there should be legally binding general odour control rules for all such plants in Ireland. Draft regulations to amend the binding rules on sanitary authorities relating to the design, construction, operation and management of urban waste water treatment plants to address odours such as that in Ringsend are in process. They have been sent to the Commission for its views. On the basis of our initial contacts, I am confident they will be accepted and the issue will be resolved.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Will the Minister explain why a plant, which is only three years old, is emitting such foul odours? When it was opened, we were informed it was the most modern sewage treatment plant. What has gone wrong? Was it not built properly? Were safeguards not included? Who will bear the cost of the consultants engaged to examine the problem and the remedial works that will result? Will the costs be borne by the public purse or the private operator in this PPP arrangement?

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I accept the general point made by the Deputy. It is not good enough that people in Ringsend or Greystones should have to tolerate foul odours from the plant and it is fundamentally odd that a new plant should operate in this way. I have expressed this view on behalf of my constituents. I have visited Ringsend and experienced the odour at first hand and sympathy is due to the local community. However, there were mitigating circumstances in this case given that there was a number of breakdowns. The site comprises two plants, the sludge plant, which was commissioned earlier and where the initial difficulty occurred, and the new plant. It is not good enough that there should have been a problem. However, there was also a fire in the sludge treatment plant. With regard to who will bear the cost ultimately, I am not sure where the fault lies. However, I am anxious that the taxpayer will not pick up the costs for faulty design or other errors of that nature.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Minister has not answered my question but I thank him, nevertheless, for replying to a question I did not ask. What is the explanation for the odour, given that is a new plant? Has the Minister or his officials asked what is wrong? If somebody constructed a new building and it malfunctioned to this extent, he or she would want to find out why. The sludge treatment facility is not working, there has been a fire in it and the plant is emitting foul odours. Was the plant badly built? Who got it wrong? The people are entitled to an explanation, particularly those who must endure the stink.

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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It is regrettable that there has been a problem.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The people do not want tea and sympathy.

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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What is the reason for the problem?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Minister is off on another soliloquy.

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I am not off on another soliloquy — the Deputy is being unfair — I am trying to answer his question in as comprehensive and open a way as possible and I will continue that practice unless I am advised otherwise. There has been a problem in the plant. There was a fire, which nobody had planned on, and that was a problem. There are issues relating to processing and questions arise about the plant's design. These issues are being resolved.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Did the Minister ask the question?

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Yes, if the Deputy was willing to listen——

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I listen all the time.

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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International engineering consultants have been appointed and they have commenced a comprehensive review of all aspects of the plant. I am as anxious as anybody that we should understand what happened, including in regard to the design and the ongoing operation and management performance. When the assessment is concluded, we will know where the fault lies. There is no point jumping the gun until we have the report. The council is addressing and resolving the outstanding issues with my encouragement and that of my Department.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I will come back to this issue.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Is the Minister aware the people of Clontarf, Fairview and Marino have had to put up with the foul odours from the Ringsend plant and that when I raised this issue months ago, the authorities denied there was an odour on the north side of the city? Is he aware of complaints from residents on the north side of the city? The bottom line is there was a major problem in the design, construction and effectiveness of the plant. The Minister must do something about this. He should clean up his act.

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I am grateful for the Deputy's comments.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Any time.

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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International experts are assessing where the problems were and where the breakdowns occurred. I am absolutely certain the odour was not confined to Ringsend because odours have a peculiar way of travelling. On the other hand, the waste water treatment plant has resulted in considerable benefits for residents on Dublin Bay, including residents in Clontarf and recreational users of the fine facilities there. It is regrettable that this has happened but it is not the first plant in which such a breakdown has happened. It happened previously in Greystones and I was one of the complainants at the time. I assure the Deputy I will continue to keep a close eye on this issue.