Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Leader will recall I raised the issue of the water supply from the Eddie Fullerton Dam, north of Buncrana, last week. I asked for the assistance of the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, to make it clear to Irish Water that it needs to meet with the Oireachtas Members from Donegal and the councillors in the north Donegal area.

We have a water supply that continually bursts because it was built to a substandard level back in the day. Rather than address the issue and repair this huge pipeline, Irish Water is going to extend the supply to Letterkenny, the major town in Donegal. It is incredible.

In a separate issue, earlier this year, the public representatives asked Irish Water to meet us. Irish Water refused. It gave us assurances about a €5.8 million project to make water safe in north-east Inishowen, particularly for the community of Greencastle. Irish Water refused a meeting, gave us assurances and has not honoured those assurances. I am sad to report to Senator Buttimer that this is the second time that a meeting has been turned down. We have been referred to a one-hour clinic at the end of November where all the individual issues affecting consumers will be addressed. One can imagine the number of councillors who want to see Irish Water. Irish Water wants us to go to a clinic at the end of November, along with all the other councillors about all the other issues, rather than address this serious issue of public concern.

I ask the Leader to intervene and bring this issue to the attention of the Minister. I can email him all the details. We cannot accept this for the second time this year. It is making a mockery of public service that public representatives cannot meet with them about serious issues. I ask for a solution.