Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

I ask the Leader to make time available as a matter of urgency for a debate on the EPA report on drinking water and the quality of water in our lakes, rivers and estuaries, published today. The most frightening aspect of the report is that many local authorities use seven times the permitted level of aluminium in the treatment. That aluminium has links with the increased rate of Alzheimer's disease. It is a damning indictment of the Minister that a quarter of waste water from sewerage is released untreated into the lakes, rivers and estuaries. Only last week in the House, I raised the issue of the town of Kinvara which is releasing raw sewerage into Galway Bay and causing serious damage to the oyster beds which are unique and commercially important to the west. If we are ever to reach compliance with the EU water directives, it is important that the Minister provides funding to local authorities to ensure they do not continue to allow the release of untreated sewerage into our rivers and likes. Other industries and farming have been blamed. We want to place the blame exactly where it should be, in the Minister's hands.