Marie Moloney (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to take this matter. It is my second time putting down the same Adjournment matter as I also dealt with this in February last, and I am now seeking an update. The Minister, Deputy Hogan, will be very au fait with this, and he ducks every time he sees me in the corridor because he knows well what I am going to ask him about it.

For the information of the Minister of State, Kilcummin sewerage scheme was approved, went to tender, had a contractor appointed and had funding made available, but it was then pulled due to a problem with the contractor. The people of Kilcummin feel absolutely frustrated at this stage. They are being pushed from post to pillar and from Billy to Jack, as they say, and we seem to be getting nowhere. If one speaks to the council, it is a matter for the Department; if one speaks to the Department, it is the council's problem.

To be fair to the Minister, Deputy Hogan, he said at the end of the debate in February: "If they reach agreement, we are in a position to look at the funding." It is not a matter of funding for this scheme, or at least that is what I am being told. A briefing note from the Minister's office in June 2013 stated that Kerry County Council had commissioned a further technical report which is expected to be forwarded to the Department in July 2013. At an area meeting of Kerry County Council during the week, the councillors were advised that the report was with the Department. Nobody seems to get a clear answer, so I hope the Minister of State is here to give me a clear answer and outline the current position. Is it with the Department or the council, and what is the hold-up? It is a never-ending saga for the people of Kilcummin. I will wait for the Minister of State's reply before I comment further.