Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise the ongoing saga of the Castletownbere sewerage scheme and treatment plant. I became a member of Cork County Council in 1985, which seems a long time ago, and it was already an issue at that time. It might be wrong to use the word "fudged", but it is one of the schemes in County Cork which has been kicked to touch. There have been more passages of play at national and council level than there would be at the best Munster versus Clermont rugby game.

I have raised the position of this scheme for many years. The treatment schemes at Bantry, Schull, Baltimore, Dunmanway and other locations in west Cork are due to proceed after many years of deliberation and requests for funding. I was told six or seven years ago in this House that the funding was in place for the Castletownbere scheme but that there was a issue in regard to its location. In the wake of various plans, consultants' reports and site appraisals, will the Minister of State outline the up-to-date position on the provision of a sewerage scheme and treatment plant for Castletownbere? Is the funding still in place and when is it proposed to commence?

Castletownbere, like any other town, deserves proper facilities. The lack of a sewerage scheme and treatment plant has hindered its progress and development in recent years. Dinish Island has an exceptionally successful fish processing industry but it is being hindered by this lack of facilities. At one stage, the council and the Department differed as to the best location for a sewerage scheme. I hope there has been a meeting of minds in this regard and that I will be able to impart the good news to the people of Castletownbere that the scheme will commence early in the new year.