Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I raise an issue of concern to apartment owners, one which I have raised many times in the context of legacy issues and faults in the building of apartments. I mention specifically international best practice and how we can avoid making the same mistakes over and over again. Clúid Housing and the Housing Agency recently published an independent report on best practice for owner management companies. The report, which contains 14 key recommendations on sinking funds, fire safety and volunteer directors, needs to be serious examined. International best practice for the management of apartment developments is a worthy subject for debate in the House. We have clearly failed in this respect in the past and if we continue on the current path, we will fail again in future.

Good weather has been forecast for the Dublin in the coming days. As a result of pollution in Dublin Bay, a no-swim notice has been put in place. It is easy to criticise Irish Water in this respect but there are structural difficulties. An upgrade of the water treatment plant is to be completed by 2022. Irish Water has said that even after that upgrade, the same factors can come into play in the aftermath of monster rain events. I request a debate on the infrastructure in place to deal with sewage treatment. This is a problem not only in Dublin but in Killarney, Galway and Cork and it must be addressed. Sustainable urban drainage systems or SUDS will be part of the solution. We need a whole-of-Government approach to addressing this issue, rather than continuing with the Government's silo approach.

I will briefly comment on the upcoming strike of 10,000 members of SIPTU who will shortly go on strike in the health service. The language used by the Government, especially its Fine Gael members, has been disrespectful to the workers in question who entered negotiations in good faith. An agreement had been reached and these workers were due to be paid. The question of whether this is a class issue for Fine Gael has been raised with me by many of the workers. The language being used certainly implies that it is. Is it being used because the dispute involves workers? If it involved doctors, this type of language would not be used. That is very unfortunate. The Leader should speak to his Dáil colleagues about the type of language being used.

Senator Ardagh referred to a school in Harold's Cross. We talk about having a whole-of-Government approach to action on climate change. It is not acceptable that a child standing on Harold's Cross bridge can see a school he or she could attend but then have to travel for an hour across the city to go to school. How does that make sense in the context of climate change? Directing children to travel for an hour in rush hour traffic to get an education does not make sense when there is a school on their doorstep.