Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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They say that they always save the best for last, so we will see. I have raised this issue in the Chamber numerous times. It is the boil water notices in east Cork, specifically in Whitegate. I want to give the Minister of State a synopsis of what is going on. It started on 14 February 2016, so we are coming up to the seventh anniversary of these boil water notices. The following is a synopsis of press headlines on this over the years and in recent months and weeks.

One headline states "East Cork residents face years more of drinking water quality issues". The article continues, "Residents in East Cork who have been forced to buy bottled water for over a year face another three years of water quality issues despite efforts to fast-track a solution." Another headline states "Councillors demand action as parts of East Cork face more boil water notices for years". The article continues, "Councillors will also demand compensation for an estimated 10,000 [ we will call them] customers who are having to buy bottled water on a near daily basis." Sinn Féin's Councillor Danielle Twomey claimed that councillors are left in the dark about the issues. She said:

They're stonewalling us. It's so disrespectful to us. They only engage with us when they want planning permission.

Another headline states "The Cork villages that 'just don't trust the tap water anymore'". The article continues, "Locals are frustrated that heavy rains invariably mean boil notices, buying drums of water, and taking extra care when bathing children." Another headline states "Cork households affected by lengthy boil water notices 'should be compensated'". The article continues:

Unanimous support in county council for those who have suffered long-term inconvenience and agreement that they must get an alternative supply and tax credits. Hundreds of householders throughout Co. Cork should get some form of compensation for being hit with repeated and lengthy boil water notices. Cork county councillors want Irish Water to either provide an alternative supply and/or the government to provide additional tax credits to those who suffer such long-term inconvenience.

Another headline states "Boil Water Notice for Killavullen Public Water Supply Remains in Place". Another headline states "Irish Water boil water notice reminders for Macroom and Whitegate".

That is just a little synopsis; I could have a very large file of them compiled over the course of seven years and the boil water notices come every three to four months. I am constantly listening to people talk of their frustration and I know where they are coming from. While Whitegate is on the main road to the refinery, the surrounding areas are extremely rural, from upper and lower Aghada, Rostellan back into Cloyne and possibly back into Ballinacurra and Midleton. Even at the far side, in Leamlara, we had a boil water notice a while back.

I mention the additional cost. We are in a cost-of-living crisis and the price of everything has gone up. Energy costs for boiling water have gone up, as have the price of petrol and diesel, and frustration is borne out of these notices. I listened to a radio interview today on Cork's 96FM and the lady who spoke said it is bad enough with everything that is going on and having to truck in and out with bottles of water but that there has been zero communication from Irish Water, only press releases. She suggested they could even put in additional recycling bays for all the plastic bottles and containers they have and that this would be some form of recognition that Irish Water was listening to them. The Minister of State has listened to the testimony from my colleague, Councillor Twomey, saying they are stonewalled. I found it difficult as well when I tried to engage with Irish Water. It has improved slightly on sewerage, but when it comes to water it still seems to be the same press release coming out with no clarity being provided to people. There are businesses in all those towns and villages that have additional costs. This is an additional cost again and no clarity is provided. I will come back to the Minister of State to give her a rundown on this after her reply as I will be able to answer when she replies.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I am taking this on behalf of my colleagues in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of providing safe drinking water in east Cork. Safe and secure drinking water is an issue of both national and local importance. I appreciate the Deputy's concerns for those communities in Whitegate, County Cork, and surrounding areas affected by the current boil water notice. I also acknowledge the other towns and villages the Deputy referenced in his contribution.

The Deputy will appreciate that the operation of Whitegate regional public water scheme is a matter for Uisce Éireann, which since 1 January 2014 has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. In turn, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, as environmental regulator, is responsible for setting quality standards and enforcing compliance with EU directives and national regulations for the provision of drinking water. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has made enquiries with Uisce Éireann and I am informed the boil water notice currently in place for the Whitegate public water supply was issued on 29 October 2022 following consultation between Uisce Éireann, Cork County Council and the HSE. This boil water notice was issued to protect approximately 9,500 customers in Whitegate, Aghada, Churchtown, Ballycotton, Saleen, Shanagarry, Ballinacurra and areas of Cloyne. The notice was issued because of increased turbidity in the raw water. There is a history of this issue at this source as it is susceptible to raw water quality issues after heavy rainfall events. Boil water notices have been issued on Whitegate public water supply a number of times over recent years.

This is clearly not a tenable situation and it is causing severe inconvenience to those reliant on this water supply. To solve this problem and prevent it occurring again, Uisce Éireann is building a new water treatment plant to serve Whitegate and environs. In 2022, Uisce Éireann announced a multimillion euro investment that will put an end to the frequent boil water notices this community has had to endure. I am pleased to report that, in January 2023, Uisce Éireann, working in partnership with Cork County Council, submitted planning permission for a new state-of-the-art water treatment facility that will service approximately 10,000 people in the east Cork area. Subject to the planning permission being granted by July 2023, the construction contract will be signed in quarter 4 of 2023, with construction mobilised in quarter 1 of 2024. The construction work would be due for completion in quarter 4 of 2025. The EPA will ensure the new plant meets all applicable standards before this supply is removed from the EPA's remedial action list.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage's priority is to ensure people's health is protected and that adequate water is available for all consumers. We all want to see this notice lifted without undue delay, but only when the HSE and the EPA have confirmed the water supply is safe. Additional information and advice on boil water notices is available on Uisce Éireann's website or by calling Uisce Éireann's 24-hour service line. As part of budget 2023, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, secured funding of more than €1.65 billion to support water services. This includes €1.56 billion in respect of domestic water services provision by Uisce Éireann. This overall investment will deliver significant improvements in our public water and wastewater services, support improved water supplies throughout Ireland, including in rural Ireland, and support a range of programmes delivering improved water quality in our rivers, lakes and marine area, making a significant contribution to addressing Ireland's needs.

I also take on board what the Deputy said about communication, which is a vital point in all of this. The one thing Uisce Éireann has failed to provide me details on in the note it has given me is how it communicates with the public.

Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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I spent 22 years in sewerage and water so I know the craic on it. My area has Whitegate oil refinery, the power station and the gas station. There are alternative water sources of water and I am wondering why Uisce Éireann did not look at those as an alternative or short-term fix. One line could be tapped into the other. The area where the problem is could be blanked off and flushed and another water supply could be tapped into. That is just a suggestion.

I thank the Minister of State for the answer and I know where it is coming from and that she is only here on behalf of the Minister. However, as I have said, it is going on for seven years. In two weeks' time it will be seven years, on and off. It is worse than a light switch, and a bad one at that.

The Minister of State now understands where the frustration is. People understand it takes time for progress. That is fair but the Minister of State mentioned communication, which is shocking. When there is no communication, one gets rumours. When one gets rumours, one will get no clarification. Then it starts to fester. That is when people lose faith.

I stated that there is no mention of reimbursement for the cost of buying any of the water. Many of these businesses are paying rates. I suspect the local authority is still collecting rates on it. Many of the businesses are left to their own devices. People have no information and there is no assistance. Some people feel there is no hope.

People are told there is information on the website. Many of these people are elderly. It is a rural area. One does not have top-class broadband everywhere. It does not make sense. It is necessary to go back to what we do when we go knocking at the door, to call to them the same as the postman.

What I would say on behalf of the people of east Cork is that everywhere there are boil water notices they want answers and assistance. They want clarity. They do not want constant bad news. They certainly do not want to wake up every few weeks to a press release, saying that this is the first they have heard of it again. This is not the way to treat people. The Minister of State will be aware that when one rubs people the wrong way, one is walking oneself into trouble and into a battle. I would love to get clarity on this.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Buckley again. I appreciate the Deputy's interest in this issue.

Before I came in, I said to the Deputy that I was taking this issue and asked if I had discussed it with him previously. In fact, on mature reflection, it was Deputy Stanton who raised it previously with me in relation to Uisce Éireann.

Deputy Stanton's purpose in raising his Topical Issue matter that evening, no different from the Deputy, was that this is down to basic communication. There is a really good story here from local government. There is a really good investment piece going into that part of east Cork. However, the people need to feel that they are heard and communicated with. That is what Deputy Buckley is advocating here this evening. That is what is essentially missing from the piece.

My script states that Uisce Éireann has established a dedicated team to deal with representation and queries from the public representatives. If I could call on Uisce Éireann - I will take it up with the Minister - I ask that it meet with the public representatives and open a channel of communication to help alleviate the frustration of people in these communities.