Jim Higgins (Fine Gael)

I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this matter and I apologise for my absence last week when I was listed to discuss it. I thank the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Noel Ahern, for coming to the House to reply.

I thank the previous Minister for the Environment and Local Government for delivering a long overdue state-of-the-art sewerage scheme to Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, of which I am a native. For years, the local river, the Claredalgan, which is a feeder of the River Corrib, was badly polluted and one of the main culprits was the local authority, as is often the case in such circumstances. The policeman in this case was the main offender. Unfortunately, the other main offender for a period was a local meat factory, which now has its operation in order.

We now have a new sewerage scheme in the process of completion — I thank the previous Minister and the Government for approving the necessary finance for it — to which I seek a modest extension. With the contractors on site, the necessary work could be done more expeditiously and economically than in the future. Essentially, I am seeking an extension to what is known as the Knock Road.

Development in Ballyhaunis is considerably constrained by virtue of the fact that the town is located on the intersection of two national roads and, as everybody is aware, one cannot easily obtain planning permission for one-off houses on national primary or secondary roads. The development of the town has been significantly constrained as a result.

The road in question is a regional road linking Ballyhaunis and Knock. It has had a high density of building in recent years but each of the houses in question is serviced by a septic tank. In this day and age, this is not the ideal solution and, as a result, those wishing to build on the road are encountering considerable restrictions. As I stated, it is one of few roads in Ballyhaunis which could be developed without encountering difficulties with regard to one-off housing.

In addition, a number of small roads which lead off the road in question would be ideal locations for clusters of houses. The area is a prime location for development but because of the difficulties with regard to sewerage facilities and the proliferation of septic tanks, all development on the road, and consequently the town, will stop.

The current position is that Mayo County Council has completed a design for the scheme, negotiated with the contractor, and has received an attractive tender price. The matter is now with the Department but, unfortunately, particularly given that the contractors are about to terminate phase one of the project, the scheme has not received the necessary approval.

Ballyhaunis is ideally located in the centre of Connacht, some 40 miles from Sligo, Galway, Carrick-on-Shannon, Westport and Athlone. I plead with the Minister of State for a satisfactory response to the case I have made.