Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this matter for debate on the Adjournment. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, to the House to discuss a project in County Galway that has been promised for a long time. The circumstances in Kinvara Bay are unique. The continued discharge of raw sewage into the bay must be an embarrassment to Galway County Council and to the Government. This matter was brought to the attention of the European Commission, which warned the council that it would take action against it if something was not done within a particular period of time. That period of time has elapsed, however, without any indication from the council or the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government that anything is about to happen. Kinvara Bay is unique because it has inner and outer sections, with protective currents which ensure that the sewage that is pumped into the bay is retained. The levels of pollution in the bay are greater than those in normal bays, in which the water is kept clean to some degree by the regular removal of sewage by the tides. That process does not happen in Kinvara Bay. The visual impact of the retention of sewage is as severe as its impact on water quality. Many studies have been done at Kinvara Bay. The quality of its water has been tested on numerous occasions by the former health board and more recently by the Health Service Executive. All such tests have found that the quality of water at Kinvara Bay is far below the levels required by the EU. The bay is highly polluted.

We have been waiting for a long time for the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to release the preliminary report that was submitted by Galway County Council. The Department has given permission to local authorities to pursue projects costing less than €5 million. The Kinvara Bay project would cost approximately €3 million. I have raised this issue to allow the Minister of State to indicate that the council may proceed with the planned works at Kinvara Bay, thereby alleviating a serious problem. The fishing grounds at the bay are already gone. Kinvara Bay used to be a renowned area for shellfish, including oysters and shrimps, but nobody eats shellfish from the bay now because it is so polluted. There was a time when one could swim in Kinvara Bay, right into the quays, but that is no longer possible because of the health risks involved. The waters of the bay have traditionally been quite important for recreational activities such as boating, but such activities have ceased because people have been warned of the potential health risks associated with the poor quality of the waters. I am sure Senator Kitt is very familiar with the problem there as well.

I ask the Minister of State to release the project and indicate to Galway County Council that it should progress matters. Galway County Council, in a recent statement from one of its officials, has stated that the wheels are turning. However, they have been turning in Kinvara for so long that it must be a very large wheel that has allowed matters to continue as they have over the years. Many people have made representations to the Department on the issue. I hope the Minister of State can indicate that work on this project may commence immediately.