Jimmy Harte (Labour)

I refer to a local issue in Letterkenny. I ask the Leader to bring the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to the House to discuss the ongoing problem in Donegal and in the Letterkenny area in particular where several developers have left the scene and gone into receivership. There have been public meetings held regarding the issue of sewerage pumps in housing estates. The ESB has announced it will discontinue the power supply on 20 November because there is no one to pay the ESB bill. I am informed that some of the developers are from Northern Ireland and one in particular has gone into receivership. The receiver has been contacted without success. Ultimately, the responsibility for the bill will fall back on the county council.

There is much anxiety in the area and the situation is similar in other places in the county. Letterkenny has three estates which are recently built and if a substantial ESB bill is not paid by 20 November, the power to the sewerage system will be cut off for these estates and it will become a public health issue. I ask that the Minister come to the House to enlighten us on how this will be resolved. It is impossible for residents who purchased these properties in good faith to foot this bill. As Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú said, a nation must look after its people. This is a local issue-----