Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Kitt, a fellow county person. I wish to raise the pollution of Lough Corrib which, as the Minister of State knows, is the source of Galway's drinking water and the effects of that pollution.

Last Friday I heard a news report on the official Environmental Protection Agency results which said that Lough Corrib is a polluted lake which is the source of drinking water for Galway county and city. An experienced angler who is passionate about the water quality of Lough Corrib stated that on the Headford side of the lake, water quality has been deteriorating consistently for the past 30 years owing mainly raw sewage being deposited into the Headford river and into Mountross Bay from an overloaded sewerage plant which was incapable of treating the effluent. While that plant is now capable of treating the sewage efficiently, the damage has been done and it will take 20 years for the lake to recover. The water, which used to be clear to the bed of the lake, is now murky and the recent presence of zebra mussels, African weed and blue-green algae, which inhibits water flow, is a testament to how badly the lake has been polluted. Fish stocks are also affected and anglers report that very few trout were caught this year. However, that is only on the Headford side. There are other sides which are in a far worse state.

I wish to speak about Oughterard, Clonbur, which is the home of the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív, and other areas. The Carra Mask Corrib group, which is really interested in the life of Lough Corrib, has said that raw effluent continues to be discharged into the water which affects the water quality. In particular, areas such as Oughterard, Clonbur, Claregalway, Corofin and Dunmore, some of which are in the Minister of State's constituency, are badly affected, very polluted and need permanent treatment facilities which they do not have.

For example, in Oughterard, two private samples were taken by RTEs "Prime Time Investigates" programme and by the Mail on Sunday. These two separate tests revealed there was 50 times the allowable limit of cryptosporidium going into the Corrib. The allowable limit is nil. Has this been checked by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Minister? What are the levels now? Is that water safe? I do not think so.

We must remember that the Corrib is the source of water for Galway city and county and it must be safe. Equally, detergents are going into our water and there is evidence of 30% phosphorous in our water. Germany does not allow any phosphorous in its water while Switzerland and Italy allow only 1%. We are falling down there.

There is a clear link between county water and city water and the Minister of State knows as well as I do the serious problems we have experienced in Galway city. The county may be the source but the city has been mainly affected as well as parts of my area of Headford and Oranmore. It is widely felt that the problem is with the Clare river. Cryptosporidium and other bugs like e.coli are carried around the county and city by this river. The cryptosporidium outbreak last year was caused by human effluent in the water. This is definitely due to the lack of adequate tertiary treatment facilities for raw effluent. It is quite simply poison.

I would like the Minister of State to outline his plans and the timeframe for the treatment systems for Oughterard, Clonbur and Claregalway, in particular. As the Minister of State knows, cryptosporidium destroyed public confidence in the public water supply. It was followed by e.coli and now lead contamination. The fall-out from all this means that not only tourism has suffered but also the home owner who must buy bottled water. We have had one mess after another. Sickness has ensued and health has been threatened but, thankfully, there have been no fatalities so far.

Last week I was really disappointed when the Cathaoirleach refused to allow my Adjournment matter on lead contamination for which the Minister of State must answer. The reason it was rejected was that it was described as a repetitive motion because the matter was raised in respect of Mallow the previous week. I refute that completely. I looked at the response given by the Minister. It was appalling and there was no comparison. As the Minister of State knows, Mallow has a totally different council, different budgets, the problem was on a lesser scale and it is not a city. Dismissing my Adjournment matter relating to Galway as out of order was a lazy approach taken by a Minister.

I have walked around the areas where people are affected. They are worried about the cost of water and the weight of bottled water for older people and the cost of blood tests and water tests. Why do councils and the Health Service Executive continue to aggravate the public? I listened to the Minister, Deputy John Gormley, on the evening my leader, Deputy Enda Kenny, was in Galway about two weeks ago and he said resources were not an issue when it came to water quality. What assurance can the Minister of State give that Galway drinking water is safe? What resources are being provided and what measures are being taken to clean up Lough Corrib which is the ultimate source of this water? It is extraordinary that those who discharge effluent into water, such as the council in the case of Mutton Island, are given licences by the Environmental Protection Agency and that towns like Oughterard and Clifden are so badly affected. I look forward to hearing about the measures the Minister of State is implementing and resourcing in the two areas I mentioned.