John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this urgent issue on the Adjournment. I would like to pass on my warmest congratulations again to the Minister of State, Deputy Dara Calleary, who is following a fine family tradition and Fianna Fáil tradition, and I wish him well. Normally I would complain that the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is not present to take this matter but I take the Minister of State's presence to be a signal that he has good news for Kiltimagh, County Mayo. I am glad I have given him the opportunity to give Kiltimagh the good news.

A new and updated sewerage scheme was mooted as far back as 1992 for Kiltimagh. It has been promised and reneged on many times since then but especially in 2002 when we were told its delivery was imminent prior to the election in that year. During that period the development of the town was held back and restricted because the treatment plant was incapable of dealing with the expanded capacity. For example, the owners of a hotel built in the town a few years had to install their own treatment plant costing them thousands of euro and everybody will be aware of the pressure hotels and the tourism industry are under.

However, this issue has become more serious in recent years because of the threat to the environment posed by raw sewage running into the Pollagh River, a tributary of the River Moy, which is the biggest salmon river in Ireland, if not Europe. I have seen this raw sewage with my own eyes on numerous occasions and few days ago I witnessed it again in the company of local Councillor Lavin. The reality is that if a farmer or industrialist caused the pollution in this river, they would be rightly prosecuted. I have attended two public meetings in recent weeks, as has the Minister of State, organised by the angling club in Kiltimagh, along with every other public representative. The official delegation was informed by the council that it is waiting for approval from the Minister for the tender report it supplied in order that the scheme can proceed immediately.

The entire scheme, including the network collection and the treatment plant, will cost more than €9 million but it is crucial that the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government gives the go-ahead now. The Minister of State and Deputy Beverley Flynn representing the Government informed people at the public meetings that the scheme would happen within weeks. It was supposed to happen under the former Minister, Deputy Dick Roche, in 2005. The people of Kiltimagh have waited long enough. The tourism potential of Kiltimagh and Mayo needs to be developed to its full potential, especially in these difficult times. I urge the Minister to give approval for this scheme.

As the Minister of State is well aware, the community has a case ready to go to Europe if sanction is not given immediately. I would like to put on record a Fianna Fáil press statement released on 9 May 2007, which states:

Minister for the Environment, Mr Dick Roche gave the go ahead last week for the €6m contract, which will upgrade and extend the existing wastewater collection system and will include the outfall from the new wastewater treatment plant. More than 5km of watermains will also be replaced alongside the sewerage works.

"I authorised Mayo County Council last January to invite tender for the construction of the new Wastewater Treatment Plans for Kiltimagh, This latest approval means that the way is now clear for the entire scheme," noted Minister Dick Roche...

"This new sewerage scheme will mean that Kiltimagh will be able to cater for new residential and commercial development well into the future and the local community will continue to enjoy the highest environmental standards," noted Deputy Carty.

I urge the Minister of State to give us goods news. I will cross the floor and shake his hand once he announces it.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Deputy for his good wishes, which were extended previously. I extend good wishes to him in regard to his activities next weekend.

We have been working on this issue together since our election in 2007. The Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009, which was published in September 2007, includes 20 major water and sewerage schemes at various stages of planning and construction, with a value of more than €205 million for County Mayo. These includes Ballina sewerage scheme and the extension of Ballina water supply scheme to Crossmolina costing almost €24 million between them, both of which are substantially complete. In addition, Castlebar sewerage scheme costing €50 million and Achill Sound sewerage scheme costing €7.4 million are under construction. A range of other schemes is advancing through the planning process.

The schemes in the programme, including Kiltimagh sewerage scheme, will provide much needed modern water and wastewater infrastructure in many areas of the county. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government originally approved a budget for the Kiltimagh sewerage scheme in September 2008, and approved an increase in the budget recently, bringing the total amount approved to just under €9.2 million. The scheme comprises two related elements, which involve the upgrading of the collection system and the treatment works. Separate contracts are involved for each element.

The Department approved Mayo County Council's preliminary report and the preparation of contract documents for the collection network and wastewater treatment plant for a population equivalent of 3,300 in February 2004. The contract documents for the collection network were approved in May 2007, which allowed Mayo County Council to advance to the procurement stage. While tenders were received and examined by the council, the Minister understands from the council that the successful tenderer withdrew before signing the contract. The council is considering its options for progressing these works and the Department expects to receive a report on the outcome of this consideration in the near future.

The council's contract documents for the wastewater treatment plant design, build, operate contract for an increased population equivalent of 4,000, were approved by the Department in January 2007. The council submitted their tender recommendation for this contract, which includes the operational and maintenance element of the Killala and Achill Sound sewerage schemes, in late December 2008. The Department raised some queries with the council to complete its examination of the tender recommendation and the necessary clarifications were received last month.

The Minister understands the scheme is important for the local community, as it will ensure that the town has a sewerage scheme capable of meeting current demands, that there will be capacity to service new development and that environmental standards, including water quality in local rivers, will be preserved and improved for the benefit of the town and its residents. He will ensure that there is no avoidable delay in the Department finalising its examination of the council's tender recommendations and has agreed, on my request, to meet a delegation from Kiltimagh as soon as is possible. I will continue to work with the Deputy to finalise this project but, as he will be aware, there were delays that were beyond even the Department's control over the past few years.