Nicky McFadden (Fine Gael)

Dublin City Council is currently exploring ways of extracting several hundred million litres of water from Lough Ree. Those who know me know I am not a mean person; I would not begrudge anybody a drop of water. However, it is important that we have a say in what is happening. This is likely to result in a ministerial directive which means it will be taken out of the hands of the relevant local authority. It is therefore incumbent we have a proper debate on this issue and that we be fully briefed on what is involved in extracting water from Lough Ree.

Senator O'Toole will join with me in raising this issue. We met people involved in saving amenities in the Lough Ree and Lough Derg area. The authorities in Dublin should find ways to save their water supplies and should stop wasting it.