Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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The issue of water was topical last week and into this week here in the capital city because many did not have it throughout the day. The population is the greatest concern, but it was unfortunate that we did not have water coming out of taps during the week of the web summit when we were showing how far advanced we were from a technological point of view. Water is important, both for households and jobs.

Earlier this week the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, stated that it was a matter of poor communication but I fail to see his point. The capacity, in terms of what was coming through the pipe system, was not there. No matter what way one communicates that, communication will not put water in the taps.

The solution on which I will focus is the water project by Bord na Móna, the Shannon Garryhinch-Dublin water project. That project, together with the issue of water conservation, is the key issue here.

There will be a considerable amount of funding spent on the significant programme under way to put meters in place. If one compares the Dublin households with similar comparable households in Wales, the figures shows that they use almost the same amount of water despite the fact that Dublin households were not metered and the ones in Wales were.

The Garryhinch project is a ready-to-go project. Bord na Móna is anxious to proceed with it. If it is done, I am told it will be good for 100 years. It would be in State ownership, under democratic control of the State in a good semi-State company. It is needed for foreign direct investment in the midlands and eastern counties and it would be a significant job creator in counties Laois and Offaly, creating 150 long-term jobs and 1,000 jobs in construction. It is a real winner and I would ask the Minister to seriously look at it.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The water shortages in the capital city over the past ten days are a damning indictment of the Government's water policy. A reliable consistent supply of water to both domestic and industrial users across the country's biggest city is a vital part of a fully functioning economy. Businesses and residents across Dublin have suffered severely from the dramatic impact of 12-hour long water shortages. We are faced with the perverse situation where businesses, which pay high water rates for their supply, have endured damaging cutbacks which have impacted significantly on their revenue. All the while, ordinary residents, who are facing new water bills from 2014, are left to cope with an overstretched supply.

I have consistently called for a comprehensive national audit of the water infrastructure in Ireland. Instead, the Minister has put the cart before the horse. He has ploughed on with establishing Irish Water, allowing for glossy expensive advertisements on newspapers and television, glorifying the corporate identity of Irish Water and, most important, with a system of water charges which, as I stated, is set to be imposed at the end of next year.

This policy has been further compounded by the refusal to subject Irish Water to the Freedom of information Bill. Without even the detail as to why Bord Gáis was picked over and above Bord na Móna in the first instance, we are establishing an unprecedented quango, without oversight or transparency.

Dublin needs the security of an adequate water supply and a reserve that is capable of facilitating the strains placed on it by the abnormal summer we had. The key questions, that the Minister needs to answer, instead of a response that is bluster about Irish Water, are what specific steps are being taking to ensure Dublin has a sufficient water reserve and sufficient water supply to bear the weight of future strains put on that supply. The residents and businesses of Dublin need a water supply that delivers, not a misguided quango. I look forward to the Minister's response on this issue.

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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It was difficult to listen to Deputy Cowen talking about the water supply for Dublin given who was in charge for the past 24 years.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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It is 24 years now. We were good, not that good.

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Water for the greater Dublin area is one of the key issues challenging both Dublin and Leinster. Twenty years ago, it was identified that there was a need for a water supply for the Dublin region. Nothing has happened over those 20 years. It just happens that the previous speaker's party was in government. Ten years ago, the Garryhinch project was first talked about.

At this stage, I welcome that we will have water in the capital city tonight, but let us see what we need now. There is a leak problem in the city and that is being addressed by the water mains rehabilitation service. We need that to continue over the next coming months and years. The metering, it has been shown internationally, will create another 10% in savings within the Dublin area. Therefore, I work out that we have approximately ten years to bring on an alternative water supply for the Leinster area.

The Leinster area is the golden calf. It creates 70% of all tax revenue to the State. We need now to make that investment to right the wrong of the past 20 years and invest in a safe, secure sustainable water supply for the Leinster region from where the vast majority of tax revenue comes to support the State.

I ask the Minister to address urgently this matter and look into setting up a Cabinet task force to address the water supply issue for the Dublin region.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I thank the Deputies for raising this issue which I am taking on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.

I welcome the announcement today by Dublin City Council that the recent nightly restrictions on the supply of water are being lifted. I also welcome the news that production levels at the water treatment plant in Ballymore Eustace have been substantially restored to normal levels. The recent restrictions have, undoubtedly, caused difficulties for people across the Dublin region and a return to normal service will be welcomed by all. I concur with Deputy Kevin Humphreys on the long lead-in time for water projects. Something that was intended to come on stream now would have needed to be planned during the time when Deputy Barry Cowen's party was in charge.

Matters relating to the operation, maintenance and management of the water supply systems in the Dublin region are ones for the relevant water services authorities under the general supervision of the Environmental Protection Agency. In the case of the Ballymore Eustace water treatment plant, Dublin City Council is the responsible authority. Following notification by the council of the problems at the Ballymore Eustace water treatment plant, my Department was in constant contact with the council to see how the problems could be solved as expeditiously as possible to ensure full resumption of water supplies in the Dublin region without undue delay. The Minister received a number of briefings on the matter from the city manager and earlier this week he visited the Ballymore Eustace plant to see at first hand the work that was being carried out to fully restore supplies. Production at the plant stabilised late last week and over last weekend. It has been improving each day since to the point where restrictions can now be lifted. The council has advised that production levels at the plant and storage levels in the region will continue to be closely monitored.

Funding under my Department's water services investment programme has been and continues to be invested in improvements to both the water supply network and treatment capacity within the greater Dublin area. In recent years new well fields in north east Kildare have been brought on stream and the new water treatment works at Srowland, near Athy, has commenced production. Investment is continuing in the upgrade of the Ballymore Eustace plant and at the Leixlip water treatment plant. Work at these plants has brought additional capacity into the system and further additional supplies will be available when work is completed at both locations during 2014. In addition, there is a substantial programme of works in train as part of the Dublin region water mains rehabilitation project. Significant water savings have been made and additional savings are anticipated as this work continues.

My Department's water services investment programme also contains numerous schemes and contracts to upgrade other water supply schemes in Leinster. Water service authorities throughout the province are, like the Dublin authorities, progressing these as expeditiously as possible. When Irish Water becomes responsible for the investment programme in 2014, it will continue the work of improving the infrastructure on an ongoing basis. There will be continuity in the transfer of the investment programme to Irish Water and it will commence an initial two year programme of works covering the period 2014-15. Thereafter, Irish Water will embark on a new cycle of investment programmes of longer duration, having due regard to economic needs and environmental compliance in all areas of the country.

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister of State did not mention the Garryhinch project. Consultants are carrying out a study of that project for Dublin City Council, including water flows in the Shannon basin. I understand it will be a two year project. I have noted the brash press releases announcing that the project is about to go to planning, but the studies will need to be completed before the planning stage is reach. However, other preparatory work remains to be done and I urge the Department to consider the project carefully in the context of its potential for job creation not only in the midlands but also in Dublin. If we are going to have another Intel, we will need to have a sufficient supply of water.

I understand the Vartry tunnel supplies up to one third of Dublin's water. It was identified in 2007 as having major problems, because it is approximately 200 years old. If anything happens to the tunnel, Dublin will lose a significant amount of water. I ask the Minister of State to raise this issue with the Minister, Deputy Phil Hogan, and his officials. I urge the Government to do everything it can to progress the Garryhinch project in parallel with other works.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I understand why Labour Party Members and others would seek to deflect from the job at hand by speaking about how they won the last general election. They will want to win the next election with the same arguments they made in 2011. For the record, €6 billion was spent on upgrading water networks over the 14 years prior to 2011.

As Deputy Brian Stanley noted, the Minister of State did not mention the Garryhinch project. The Critical Infrastructure Act 2006 gives the Government and statutory authorities great scope in progressing projects such as the Garryhinch project. It is irritating to hear the Minister, Deputy Phil Hogan, and engineers indicate that it could take ten years to complete the project. The workforce and population of Dublin pay 50% of the income tax raised in this country, 62% of VAT receipts and 59% of corporation tax returns. It is only right and proper that the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government acquiesce to the request I made when Irish Water was established 18 months ago and supply the House with a detailed analysis and audit that would create a blueprint for the network throughout the country. That would allow us to build a system that would be costed and fit for purpose. Perhaps people might then be happy to pay for a service they could stand over. It is the duty of Government Members to take the reins of government given to them by the people and do what they promised. Rehashing old arguments might have worked at the last general election, but recent opinion polls suggest it will not work the next time the people are asked to adjudicate on their performance.

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I do not have to deflect because it is a fact that the investment in preventing leakage was limited in the past 20 years. The level of leakage in Dublin was disgraceful. Dublin never received its fair share because there were no votes in fixing pipes. Dublin needs a champion in the form of a mayor for the greater Dublin area. Deputy Barry Cowen has outlined the tax revenues produced in Dublin. If they are expanded out to include the rest of Leinster, the figure is enormous. The city needs a mayor who could obtain our fair share of investment. We critically need a secure and sustainable water supply. There is to be a plebiscite on a mayor for Dublin at the next local elections, with legislation to follow two years later. If we follow that timeline, Dublin will not have a mayor for another seven years. We need a champion now to articulate the needs of the city. If one considers the amount of taxes paid in the city region, Dublin has consistently failed to receive its fair share of the pie. South Dublin receives the lowest proportion of the local government grant. Dublin city received a miserable €52 million. If we want to continue to attract foreign direct investment in the Dublin region where companies want to establish, we need a water supply. I urge the Minister of State to consult the Cabinet on setting up a task force to supervise the delivery of a safe and secure water supply for the greater Dublin area. That is something the last Administration failed miserably to deliver.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I thank the Deputies for making specific points. I will bring the points that are relevant to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Phil Hogan. There is no doubt that the Dublin region needs a major new source capable of supplying 350 million litres of water per day if it is to meet its medium to long-term needs. There is no dragging of feet on the part of the Government. Dublin City Council recently appointed consultants to progress the planing phase of the Dublin long-term source project. This has to be done step by step, as Deputy Brian Stanley acknowledged. We know it is an important project.

A commitment has been made to address the issue of having a Dublin mayor.

It will be addressed next year at the same time as the local and European elections. At least, the question will be raised. The Deputy is questioning the timeframe of when it will be implemented. Certainly, there is a clear acknowledgement by the Government that there is a need for a proper source of supply of secure water for the Dublin region. There will be no dragging of feet in delivering the project. Obviously, Irish Water will take over responsibility in terms of the practical delivery as soon as it is established but there is no dragging of feet on the part of the Government. We will continue to work on this to ensure an adequate supply water for the Dublin region.