Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill for raising these important matters and for the opportunity to clarify the important issue of the use of asbestos cement pipes in water schemes. I am responding on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley.

Asbestos cement piping formerly used in local authority water mains was required to meet the specifications defined in Irish Standard 188 and, in common with international practice, to include bitumen lining and coating. The main health risk associated with asbestos products relates to inhalation of airborne asbestos particles. The potential exposure to such risk has led to a decline in the use of asbestos materials generally. With the availability of more robust materials, asbestos cement piping is no longer used in Ireland for new public water mains or sewer pipes. The World Health Organisation's position on asbestos in drinking water is that there is no consistent evidence that ingested asbestos is hazardous to health and that there is no need to establish a health-based guideline value for asbestos in drinking water. This response does not deal with the question of men working on the scheme but it is a requirement of the safety statement of the county council as their employer and the risk assessment to deal with those issues.

Both the Gortahork-Falcarragh and the Rosses regional water supply schemes are approved for funding under the Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009. Donegal County Council has submitted a design brief for the appointment of consultants to the Department for the Rosses scheme, which sets out the local authority's requirements in detail, including an outline programme for the completion of the work. The Department is examining the Rosses brief and will shortly issue a response to the council.

Donegal County Council is finalising the preliminary report on the Gortahork-Falcarragh scheme prior to submitting it to the Department for approval. The preliminary report will set out in detail the need for, and objectives of, the scheme, the design parameters, the procurement options and estimated costings. When this report is submitted to the Department it will be dealt with as expeditiously as possible.

The two proposed schemes, in Gortahork-Falcarragh and the Rosses, will enable Donegal County Council to assess the current state of the water mains in these locations and to bring forward proposals for new, upgraded or replacement pipelines where the existing pipes are deficient or in need of repair.