Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)

On planning, the Taoiseach said in Sligo that guidelines would be more amenable for people building in rural areas. This was followed by statements from the previous Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Cullen, and by the Minister himself. The situation on the ground has become more difficult since those statements were made. All public representatives are regularly contacted by people pointing out difficulties caused by planners and inconsistencies in planning. The area should be debated in this House because it is becoming more difficult.

I want to nail the lie that the Taoiseach, the previous Minister and the Minister did something for rural Ireland in this area. The situation has become worse and that is a fact. I can bring 28 councillors from Limerick County Council to the Oireachtas who will verify the situation. The Government claims 1997 as the magical year in which everything started but the Celtic tiger has existed since 1996.

There is concern in many communities about sewerage schemes, the most vital component in rural locations. They decide how many people can live in the area and have an impact on schools and other facilities. County Limerick has had two small rural schemes in the last eight years — Fethermore and Croagh. The Minister said recently he was relaxing the protocol necessary for permission to build a sewerage scheme but he mentioned that it had to cost less than €5 million. That is contradicted, however, by the changed status of most of the sewerage schemes in the county because they have been bundled together and, by doing so on an ad hoc basis, consultants were needed to verify extra information. It goes on forever.

I have raised this issue repeatedly, particularly with the Minister of State at the Department, Deputy Noel Ahern, pointing out where various sewerage schemes had become stuck in a logjam. On the Adjournment on Thursday of last week, I raised the issue of Dromcollogher. I made further inquiries of the council and the Department and found it is bundled with Bruff, Hospital and Pallasgreen in the other extreme of the county and it will not take place for many years.

In many cases the impediment is that it is not possible for private builders to develop a scheme of this nature under public-private partnership because of the finances involved. There are many other impediments — a logjam has developed — and while the Minister may point to a success story, this case is an indictment of him. While funding may be in train for the future, the timeframe is too long and many local communities are disappointed.