Jillian van Turnhout (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I second the amendment. It is with pleasure that I support Senator Mary Ann O'Brien, who introduced me to this issue. To my shame, I was not aware of its extent or nature until the Senator gave me a very compelling article from The Sunday Timesof 12 July 2015 about this Limerick girl and her family, who have suffered serious ill-health that they say is linked to pollution. I would advise everybody to read the article, which is by Justine McCarthy. It talks about the health concerns, including constant fatigue, abdominal pains and itchy skin and eyes. It is a hugely difficult situation. Senator O'Brien also shared with me the picture from the Limerick Leaderof this toxic substance, which is strongly alkaline to the point of being caustic.

This is a concern for me. I believe the amendment tabled by Senator O'Brien is pragmatic. We need the EPA to be a watchdog. It should not be immune. That is totally unacceptable, given that we need to keep it on its toes. The report that is being requested here is, I believe, pragmatic, given the serious nature of the concerns outlined by Senator O'Brien. This is urgent. I would prefer the timeframe to be shorter but I realise that we have to give the necessary time for the report take place. We should not have State bodies intervening and preventing our citizens from being able to realise their full health and well-being. Citizens should have confidence that the State agencies are there to protect them, to support them, to fight for them and certainly to be that watchdog that we all want them to be. It is a great honour for me to second the amendment proposed by Senator Mary Ann O'Brien.