Hildegarde Naughton (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Today is national daffodil day, the Irish Cancer Society's biggest fund-raising day of the year. There is not one member of the Chamber who has not been directly or indirectly affected by cancer. The funds raised today will go directly to families and people affected by cancer. I urge everyone to support the Irish Cancer Society's fund-raising event.

I wish to raise the five-day delay in issuing a warning of kerosene contamination of water to a Galway city estate. It appears that during a routine kerosene delivery, the water supply to 75 houses in Moyola Park in Newcastle, Galway, were contaminated. Ingesting kerosene has potentially very serious consequences, and although a once-off exposure would not be fatal, it appears it took five days for all agencies concerned, the HSE, Irish Water and Galway City Council, to put their heads together and issue an official warning. To be fair, tankers were provided immediately, alternative washing facilities were provided and the matter is being handled efficiently once the problem had been identified. The issue seems to be the protocol involved in these matters. The first complaint was made on Saturday but no official notification was given until Thursday. This would appear to be an inordinate delay. There are many elderly residents in that estate who could have become quite ill. I have written to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, asking for a review of the incident. I would hope that response times could be speeded up.