Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We have but there is another issue that is very important. We talked about the EPA findings. I have before me the recommendations on public water supplies. Will Uisce Éireann be directed to give health and safety the top priority if, for example, it is found there is a problem with a water supply such as the one in Roscommon which has a permanent boil notice on it? Will that be given priority? I understand also that the Killarney water supply is in a treacherous position at the moment and that there is a serious need for an upgrade. We have them in County Galway also, which I listed the other day. Six supplies have issues with E. coli, trihalomethanes, THMs, etc. The recommendation from the EPA is that water services authorities, WSAs, should prioritise improvement works on supplies, with a boil water or water restriction notice in place, on all or part of the supply in order to have the required works completed as a matter of urgency. What will be Uisce Éireann's priorities? Will it be the health and safety issues raised by the EPA on an annual basis? In fairness to the county councils, their planning permissions are in place. Their plans are ready to go but the issue has been a lack of capital investment. They have not had enough money to address the issues, many of which have been outstanding for a long time. How can we be confident that Uisce Éireann will do a better job, especially when we are dealing with a centralised organisation that will be based in Dublin?