Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 42: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if local authorities, river basin districts and the Environmental Protection Agency will be enabled to recruit additional personnel to ensure that river basin management plans are drawn up in time for their deadline of 2009 and to enable these authorities to put in place measures to ensure compliance of waters here with the water framework directive by 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28697/07]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 54: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on whether the Environmental Protection Agency has adequate staffing and resources to perform its function effectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28430/07]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 73: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the action he will take to address the need to allocate additional resources to the Environmental Protection Agency with particular emphasis on the need for these resources for monitoring and enforcement activities by the EPA in respect of IPPC and waste licensing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28702/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 42, 54 and 73 together.

The Environmental Protection Agency was established in 1993 under the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 and the range and complexity of the functions it discharges have increased significantly since then. The staffing, financial and other organisational resources available to the agency have expanded commensurate with its increased responsibilities. The agency's budget for 2007 is just over €52 million and this supports a staff of 295 following the sanction of an additional 40 posts in 2005. A major extension to the agency's headquarters in Wexford has also been approved. The staffing and other resources required by the EPA are kept under review by my Department, in consultation with the agency, particularly in the light of any additional functions the agency may be required to discharge.

The necessary staffing to deal with water management in river basin districts is drawn from the relevant local authorities and a co-ordination function is exercised by a designated co-ordinating local authority in each district. I am reviewing the overall employment position in the local government sector, having regard to the need to deliver frontline services and achieve value for money within the parameters of Government policy on public service employment generally. As part of this review my Department is consulting the Department of Finance on the current ceiling on local authority staff numbers, which I have just mentioned, including impacts in increased servicing requirements and other obligations in the local government sector.

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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If the Minister is considering doing something about the staffing embargo, that is welcome. In an article in the current council magazine, Council Review, Mr. Ray Earle, a Dublin City Council manager of the eastern river basin district project, said the Department believes local authorities have enough staff to deal with this issue. Mr. Earle said local authorities do not have enough resources and there is an embargo on recruitment. He said staff levels are inadequate in all local authorities. This is a serious problem. The water supply has been polluted in places such as Galway. Something was recently reported about that. The cryptosporidium bacterium has serious health consequences. This is a major area in which we must take action. In complying with the water framework directive we have an opportunity to do something about water quality. Ireland has a major economic reliance on agriculture and tourism. If last year's problems in Galway are repeated it will cause problems for our tourism industry. The Minister must make a specific commitment. I would like the Minister to say he will give local authorities more staff to do their work in this area and that the EPA will have extra staff specifically related to this directive.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I intend to provide extra staff for frontline duties. One cannot artificially divide capital investment from current spending. Once one invests in, say, a state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant, which we require to comply with our EU commitments, one needs staff to run it. Ireland is ranked No. 1 in Europe for implementation of the water framework directive and I made that a priority. It means that by 2015 our water must be of good status. We can achieve that and it is vital. I am co-operating closely with my counterpart in the North, Ms Arlene Foster, because many of these river basin districts span the Border and it requires that level of co-operation. I agree with Deputy Tuffy that providing the EPA and local authorities with staff is a requirement. I must examine doing that in the context of budgetary constraints.

P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Is the Minister aware of the serious situation in Bantry town river basin whereby all the sewage exits on to the tidal basin, commonly known as the Slob? Will Cork Country Council be in a position to recruit additional personnel to ensure plans exist to remedy this and meet the deadline of 2009? Will the Minister invite——

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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That is beyond the scope of the question.

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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It is beyond the scope of Deputy Sheehan.

P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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It pertains to the environmental plans for 2009.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Deputy Sheehan knows I have been a frequent visitor to west Cork and Goleen, but it is a matter for the local authority.

P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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The Minister should look at Goleen.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I hope to visit again some time and I am sure Deputy Sheehan will welcome me. It is a matter for the local authority in the first instance. I am happy to see what can be done. Under the water investment programme over €4.5 billion has been committed and we must continue with that job because we require good quality water by 2015.

P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Did the Minister say he will lift the embargo on Cork County Council to enable it to get more staff to carry out that work?

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I did not say I will lift any embargo, but there is a commitment to providing frontline staff where required. We are working towards this for the EPA, my Department, NPWS and some of the local authorities.

P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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If the Minister has not the will, he has not the way.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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I, too, am concerned about the quality of our drinking water and rivers throughout the country. It was inexcusable that people in Galway had to boil their water for weeks. It took a councillor from our party to drink a pint of water for the problem to be resolved. It is inexcusable that many farmers and factories get away with polluting water and we need more policing. We need more frontline staff and it is important that the Minister employs more people immediately. To have to wait until 2015 for the water framework directive to be implemented and our water supply to be brought into line with the rest of Europe is unacceptable. Can the Minister reassure people that the water they drink is of adequate quality?

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Given the extent of the problems, 2015 is not far away. Our record on the implementation of the water framework directive is second to none. I have established a contingency fund under the water services investment programme so that local authorities can draw down funding if they have a problem with cryptosporidium or any other aspect of water quality. I agree with the Deputy and I have said before that it is unacceptable in a modern, European country that people have to boil water. I am committed to ensuring we have proper quality drinking water.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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My Department is currently in negotiations with the Department of Finance on this issue. I have highlighted the need for extra staff in the critical areas of compliance and enforcement. These are my priorities for the upcoming budget. There is a necessity for extra staff in certain areas, such as the EPA, the national parks and wildlife section of my Department, as well as compliance and enforcement areas of local authorities. Negotiations are ongoing, but at this stage I cannot give a direct answer.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The answer is that negotiations are taking place and I am confident that we will get people, but I am not yet sure of the exact numbers. I will be happy to get back to the Deputy when I have the final figures.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Up to 30,000 tonnes of waste are not accounted for each year in this country. Can the Minister reassure the general public that this waste does not escape into our water supply system? What measures has he put in place to counteract this possibility?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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That is extending the question a bit.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Is he aware of the situation in south County Longford, where the water supply could be contaminated by inadequate sewerage treatment plants in several villages there?

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I do not want to get into specific local authority areas. Members quite rightly have local concerns, but on a national level we are working towards achieving good quality water throughout the country by 2015. It was mentioned that such a date is a long way away, but I would be happy if we could get full compliance by that date. The water services investment programme that I outlined shows that significant investment is being made. It will continue for the foreseeable future. Through that investment, we will get better quality drinking water and better quality water for fisheries and bathing. We hope to achieve a better environmental standard overall.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I have no doubt the Minister is aware of the great work being done at the EPA headquarters in Johnstown Castle, County Wexford. Many people are employed there thanks to decentralisation, and it is a welcome addition to County Wexford and its economy. The EPA is under severe space restrictions there. Can the Minister confirm when construction of the new extension will begin? I have no doubt he is well aware of the space required, or that the EPA has regularly been in contact with his Department about the issue.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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This is a very important question.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Yes it is. I recently visited the place and Ms Mary Kelly, director of the EPA, pointed out to me the section that needed an extension and the importance of it. I cannot give the Deputy a specific start date for the extension. I told Ms Kelly that I recognised the importance of the EPA and the need to extend the building, which I also emphasised to the Minister for Finance. Unfortunately, I cannot give the Deputy a specific timeframe at this stage.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Is anything holding up the process for the extension?

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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No. Several players are involved, including the Department of Finance, my Department and the EPA. I hope we get improvements in capital spending which would enable the EPA to continue its work, as well as in current spending which would enable us to get more front-line staff. Both of these are equally important. Once we get more staff in, we will require more space. Sometimes when facilities are provided, people are required to fill them. I hope we can make progress because the EPA is pivotal in guaranteeing better environmental standards.