Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail)

Notwithstanding how busy the House is next week, will the Leader ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to come to the House for a debate on sewerage schemes, which has been raised by many Senators? It is a major issue in rural Ireland because of the lack of development in small villages and towns. It is not only creating a difficulty in west Clare, as Senator Daly stated, but also in every other county. For example, significant volumes of untreated sewage are pumped into Lough Derg and, as a result, the local blue flag has been lost.

The issue also affects house building and the granting of planning permission. The Department through its guidelines and local authorities is trying to prevent one-off rural housing except in the case of people who come from rural towns and villages.