David Norris (Independent)

I welcome the Minister and compliment my Fine Gael colleagues on tabling such an important motion. However, I am disappointed that, once again, we have this ding-dong approach between the two sides of the House. This is unhelpful, particularly because there is significant agreement between the motion and the amendment to it on the problem the country faces. There is a nuance on both sides to gain party political advantage, which is regrettable and not a good idea.

I very much agree with Senator Coffey that river maintenance has been poor in certain areas, particularly around the River Shannon. There is no doubt whatsoever that this has had an impact through increased flooding. We need to return to good care and maintenance of the river system which has been ignored in recent times.

I would like the Minister to address the following issue. Part of the problem, particularly in areas such as Cork city, was caused by the release of enormous amounts of water from the hydroelectric system or a dam. There are a number of reasons this should happen in an emergency, one of which might be a potential fracturing of the dam which might not necessarily be caused by weather conditions but by a structural failure. I could understand it in terms of a structural failure but it seems bizarre to do so in a flood. If there is a flood and if, owing to flooding, the reservoirs are too high and dam limits are being reached, surely to God people know that downstream the position will be just as bad, if not worse. It must have been absolutely maddening for those affected to realise part of the reason their houses were flooded in up to 10 ft. of water was the deliberate release of water into the system. Is it not possible to look at alternative methods of water management?

At the heart of this issue is the question of water management, ranging from simple measures such as people being advised to leave their taps running, which caused a huge drain on the system, although it was understandable if they were afraid their pipes would burst and so on, to the health aspects. It was not as a result of the snowfall and the severe weather conditions that we had, for example, severe pollution of water in Galway and other places caused by campylobacter virus and e.coli infection. We do not seem to be capable of managing our water resources, which I find aggravating.

Water management is a serious problem domestically and internationally. I remember meeting Shimon Peres. I was very impressed and interested because this happened quite a number of years ago and one of the issues he highlighted prophetically was that of water, that it would become one of the principal areas of conflict. However, we do not have much of an excuse because we have what the Minister described as raw water, God knows in abundance. If one looks out the window this evening, one will see we are not deficient in this resource. Water is available; it is a question of its management.

Just as in the macrocosm, in the microcosm the population is a pressure factor. We have a population which is increasing in size, particularly in the city of Dublin. This is exerting pressure on the water system. It is not appropriate to learn that in the Dublin area 50% of the water supply is leaking away and that there is approximately 8,000 km or other hughe figyure of water piping which is more than 80 years old. One cannot blame the Minister for this. The problem was let slide for 80 years. I remember, when the pipes were dug up in North Great George's Street, that there were still in place some wooden pipes dating from the 18th century.

Current population growth estimates have led experts to believe that by 2031 the population of Dublin will be approximately 2.25 million. The population is currently 1.5 million and it consumes 550 million litres of water a day, which figure is expected to rise to approximately 800 million litres by 2031. If these estimates are accurate, by 2016 the Dublin area will require an alternative source of water. I am not sure if this issue has been addressed in the debate. That is another significant political and strategic element. This must be done to avoid serious water rationing and economic stagnation. The increase in the demand for water in the past ten years has essentially been dealt with by fixing leaks in the piping system, which is appropriate and of which we all approve, and expanding the limits of current facilities. However, by 2016 these measures will not be enough. The rate of leakage is 43% in some areas, although some say it is as high as 50%.

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has provided a budget of €119 million to repair pipes in the greater Dublin area betweem 2006 and 2012 but more repairs are needed. Some of our urban areas are not expected to recover from the recent water shortage problems caused by the severe weather conditions and the spate of leaks and broken pipes for another three to four months. It astonishes me, as a citizen of Dublin, to see water carriers in the suburbs. That is an astonishing confession of failure.

The Vartry tunnel which supplies almost 80 million litres of water a day to the Dublin region is in desperate need of repairs. If something goes wrong with it, we will not be able to supply Dublin with water. I do not know if the Minister listens to Lyric FM but Gay Byrne was on about it. It was great fun. He said a fellow had told him there was a leak and that if one drove an articulated lorry over it, there would be a sound, the phonetics of which I cannot copy; perhaps the parliamentary reporter will report: "Phonetic illustration supplied by Senator Norris". It was very funny on the radio but, by God, it would not be funny if it happened.

It is perfectly clear that the Government needs to find an alternative source of water for the greater Dublin area. There is no question that it must also repair the pipes, but that will not be enough. As the water reserves and facilities that supply Dublin also supply surrounding areas such as Dún Loaghaire and Fingal, it is critical that an alternative water supply is found for the Dublin region. Currently, it is supplied, for the most part, from four main plants, Ballymore Eustace and Leixlip, both of which draw from the River Liffey; Ballyboden which draws from the River Dodder and Roundwood which draws from the Vartry river. By 2016, at the latest, even with expanded facilities, these plants will no longer be able to keep up with the estimated demand for water.

We need to look at the River Shannon option, an issue which has raised screams from west of the River Shannon. It is proposed that extraction points be built along the River Shannon. Suggested points of extraction are Lough Rea and Lough Derg, with one option involving storage in former cutaway bogs to allow winter water to be stored for later use in dry summers, and the Parteen basin, with extraction near Parteen Weir. The River Shannon option would require new pipes to be built to bring water to Dublin, as well as pumping stations. It would also give the Government the ability to provide local authorities along the pipes' route to the Dublin region with access to water.

Desalination is too expensive and not practical. Therefore, I do not believe it will happen. There is much to be done in terms of repairs and implementing new imaginative proposals.

I am 100% in support of water meters. One should pay for what one gets but there is no excuse for not being able to have a water supply in this climate.

The Minister referred to the attitude of Fine Gael and I hope Senator Coffey or one of his colleagues will reply. The Minister challenged Fine Gael to state if it was intent on privatising water services. If it is, let it come out and state this. I would oppose it 100%. There are facilities and utilities which should always be in public ownership. Even in the case of the monopolies board, services such as water, electricity and so on were always kept separate. They must be kept separate and I will support the Minister in that regard. I hope Fine Gael was not referring to the privatisation of water services.