Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I hope the Minister of State, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, can address the important issues I raise. We learned today that thousands of people have been drinking water from rural supplies that are contaminated with E. coli, many of which are in my constituency of Mayo and also in Galway. Of the 380 group water schemes inspected, 20 were contaminated. When will the review of the funding and supports for water services in rural Ireland be finalised and acted upon?

I raised with the Tánaiste some weeks ago the plight of the dozens of families in Cleragh and Lisduff , just outside Kiltimagh, who were caught between Irish Water and Mayo County Council. Nothing has happened since. The problem is that Irish Water has basically issued an instruction to Mayo County Council that all connections and related works, including network extensions, must be delivered by Irish Water regional framework contractors and not by the local authority. All these families want is to be connected to the local treatment plant. Some €270,000 had been allocated and individual financial contributions have been agreed. Will the Minister of State confirm that either Mayo County Council can go ahead with the piping infrastructure or that Irish Water will at least allow the piping infrastructure to be provided in order that the families can be connected to the treatment plant when the upgrade is completed? Does Mayo County Council need explicit permission from Irish Water?

The Government is saying that housing is its priority but 20 social houses that are ready to be built in Kiltimagh cannot go ahead without the treatment plant upgrade. It makes a mockery of the town centre initiatives and the development of digital hubs when basic infrastructure is not even provided in these towns. What powers does the Minister have in relation to Irish Water? Can he instruct Irish Water to take action?

In Mayo, there are 16 schemes ready for takeover, ten of which have a legacy debt. The debt has accrued because of leaking due to the decades of neglect of the pipe infrastructure. Will the Minister ask the Commission for Regulation of Utilities to do the decent thing and write off the legacy debt so that these schemes can be taken over? These volunteers in the community are trying to run water schemes that have debts in some cases of more than €100,000 or €120,000. There is one in my area, the Pullathomas water scheme. This is not fair on volunteers in the community.

What in the name of God is going on with Irish Water with regard to farmers in Mayo and single farms, often comprising several small plots of land, which require water? The Minister of State knows the make-up of farms on marginal land in areas like Mayo. It is incredible that Irish Water is attempting to charge already struggling farmers for multiple water supplies. The same acreage in other parts of the country, with large commercial farms, are charged for one supply. Even more despicable is that Irish Water is refusing to appear before Mayo County Council to answer questions from directly-elected councillors, many of whom are from the Minister of State's party. Where did Irish Water get its mandate from? The Minister of State's councillors are being treated with contempt in Mayo when trying to get answers from Irish Water for their own constituents.

When Phil Hogan created Irish Water, he hardly meant to conceive an unaccountable monster but this is what Irish Water is turning into. We saw at the weekend a Government Minister struggle to get information from the HSE. Are we now in a similar position with Irish Water? The Government needs to hold Irish Water to account and pull it back. The Government is accountable to the people, including county councillors who are the elected representatives. We cannot afford to have another HSE that is unaccountable to the people. All we are asking is that basic water infrastructure be delivered for the people of Mayo and other counties. It is not happening through Irish Water.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will take this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke. I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and providing me with the opportunity to address this matter.

I understand that Irish Water has taken in charge more than 170 group water schemes since it took over responsibility for public water services from the local authorities in January 2014. Irish Water is continuing with this process as schemes are upgraded and funded under the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage's rural water programme. The latest tranche of projects approved under the Department's multi-annual rural water programme was announced in October 2019.

Measure 5 of the programme provides funding for the taking in charge of group water schemes by Irish Water. This measure is aimed at schemes for which the best option is taking in charge to ensure improvement in water quality or certainty of their operation and maintenance. This is achieved by integration of the scheme into the public water network, managed by Irish Water. The measure allows local authorities working with the schemes concerned to upgrade their pipe networks and, in particular, to reduce leakage to the basic standard required by Irish Water. The work reduces the cost of maintaining the scheme and leaves it more efficient for Irish Water to take it in charge. Under measure 5, more than 150 projects, some involving multiple group water schemes, were allocated funding of over €14.4 million, benefiting around 15,300 households.

Mayo County Council received approval for taking in charge of more than 50 schemes, with allocated funding of over €4.8 million. I understand the local authority has been actively completing the necessary work on these schemes and that 17 are currently with Irish Water at various stages of the taking in charge process. I also understand, however, that there are legacy financial concerns on some of these schemes, which need to be resolved. Irish Water and the local authority are actively working to resolve these issues. However, this will also require goodwill and a proactive approach by the schemes involved. Group water schemes are community owned and run.

They remain the full responsibility of the scheme until such time as they are formally taken in charge by Irish Water. An annual subsidy is available from the Department via the local authorities. This subsidy funds and supports the maintenance and operation costs of schemes providing water for domestic use, thus in turn facilitating their upkeep until such time as they are taken in charge.

To summarise, the taking in charge of group water schemes is co-ordinated by the relevant local authority. Local authorities submit taking in charge applications to Irish Water once works have been completed to bring the scheme up to the basic standard required. Irish Water will work to complete the processes as quickly as possible, engaging with the local authority, as required, but local communities also need to ensure that the legacy issues are resolved. I will bring the specific issues the Deputy has raised to the attention of the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, after the debate.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. When he referred to schemes and local communities, it is important to remember that we are talking about volunteers. We are not talking about the head of Irish Water and others who are paid huge amounts of money. Those involved are volunteers within their communities. They are tired and worn out, and need to resolve this issue. When the Minister of State says that they need to resolve any difficulties, they cannot pay money out of their own pockets to deal with legacy debt. If the legacy debt can be dealt with the schemes can be taken over. The legacy debt is holding everything up. I am afraid that the work will be done on the schemes and by the time the takeovers come around, systems will need to be upgraded. The work needs to happen now. What has to be done is time sensitive.

Regarding farmers, we cannot have a situation whereby small farmers are being charged for five or six connections just because the layout of their land covers five or six different plots. With the Minister of State please get Irish Water to go to before Mayo County Council and show a bit of respect for councillors and the mandate they have been given?

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will certainly raise the issue the Deputy has articulated with the Minister of State, Deputy Burke. I recall that when the issue of group water schemes being taken in charge was discussed in a previous Dáil, a lot of the issues raised by the Deputy I also raised as a Deputy on the Government side.

It is a pity that the Deputy's party was not as supportive of group water schemes when the abolition of water charges was raised. As she knows, people in group water schemes pay for water. When people were paying for water, this was an issue I raised, namely that if everybody paid something people on group water schemes would have to pay a lot less. Unfortunately, people on group water schemes and those who use wells have to pay for what the Deputy and I get for free because they have to do what the Deputy and I get for nothing. That could be different if we and everybody else had to pay a small bit.

People in west and north Mayo had to bring water to their areas because nobody else was going to do for them. Mayo County Council and the State would not have developed water schemes. These communities had to do that work themselves because nobody was going to do it for them. Well sinkers had to do that work. They have been left with a legacy because they had to do the work themselves. This was the very issue I raised when we were debating water charges. I am glad the Deputy raised this issue because there is no such thing as free water, and I am glad she accepts the fact that there is no such thing as free water. I am glad that a speaker from Sinn Féin has accepted the fact that there is no such thing as free water.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

On a point of order, the Minister of State is absolutely incorrect and he knows that. He is being mischievous.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

He is being humorous.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am glad the Deputy has accepted it.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

He is being misleading.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State and Deputy for raising the matter.