Ciarán Cannon (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State. It is appropriate that someone with strong links to Galway is responding to this Adjournment Matter. I am sure the Minister of State is more than familiar with Loughrea, one of the most densely populated towns in east Galway; a busy spot which also serves a number of communities on the periphery. In the context of the difficult circumstances in which we find ourselves, it is still a vibrant, thriving and burgeoning town. This will place an extra demand on all of the public services available in the coming years, including water and sewerage schemes.

A major extension of the water scheme serving Loughrea town and its hinterland has been planned since 2002. From 2003 onwards, phase 2 of the Loughrea regional water supply scheme was included in the Government's water services investment programme. It was also included in the investment programme commencing in 2007, with an indication that work would start in 2009. However, work has not started, despite assurances given from 2003 onwards, including in this Chamber on 29 September 2004, that the matter would be given prompt attention and the project would begin in the near future.

It is difficult to believe that in 2010 we still have a significant number of communities around the country who do not have access to a public water supply scheme. One community on the periphery of Loughrea, Kilreekil, comprises more than 100 houses. It was advised by Galway County Council in 2004 to begin developing a group water scheme, with the intention of connecting it to the Loughrea regional water supply scheme when it came on stream. The community has been very proactive in that the scheme is ready to proceed. All it awaits is a source of funding. Unfortunately, the natural spring water available in the area is not safe to drink and has been designated as such for many years by Galway County Council. During the summer a number of businesses in the village, including the local pub and shop, have to bring in tankers of water to keep their premises open. The school has also been affected. As I said, the community has been very proactive in trying to proceed with a water supply scheme for the village and houses adjacent to it in the hope that if it did its work, Galway County Council and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government would do theirs and allow the development of the regional water supply scheme to proceed.

I am informed by Galway County Council that it has now answered every query raised by the Department and awaits an indication from it that it can begin advertising for tenders to commence phase 2 of the regional water supply scheme. People have been very patient for almost seven years in waiting for the development to proceed. Each time the Government publishes a water services investment programme, it contains a commitment to advance the scheme. I hope the commitment which has been given over and over again will finally be honoured in 2010. I await the response of the Minister of State with interest.