Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, to the House. I thank the Green Party for bringing forward this important motion today. I grew up in an area where water was very scarce, and we spent our summers filling water for cattle and digging wells. Then we had the advent of the group water schemes and they played a very important role throughout the length and breadth of the country. They provided a great source of water for farmers and communities at large. Group water schemes made mistakes at the beginning, but they made big advances. As an extensive county like Mayo could not always justify a large public water scheme, the group water schemes came into being and they filled the gap where the State was not able to provide water. In many cases the State made large contributions to group water schemes as well.

I wish to be parochial and speak about a new group water scheme for Downpatrick, just outside Ballycastle, County Mayo, for 29 houses. Those involved are at a loss as to the reason they cannot advance the scheme but it is due to the lack of finance. The scheme is very small. The area suffers from naturally occurring iron oxide and arsenic in the water. This is a very scenic part of the country that includes Downpatrick Head, which is a focal point from a tourism point of view and is visited by thousands of tourists every year. The public toilets that are provided are dry, which is surprising in this day and age. The people involved in the scheme cannot drink the water, use it for washing clothes or taking showers. They tried several approaches, including developing a small scheme themselves and they have dug wells but the corrosive nature of the iron oxide and the arsenic affects the pipes and a well might only last a couple of years. A scheme has been presented to the Department, which has contributed up to €10,000 per house, but those concerned are short of approximately €130,000 for the scheme in addition to what the Department is willing to give at present.I ask the Minister of State to look favourably on this scheme. These people are in dire straits and suffering greatly. In this day and age, they cannot drink the water or use it to have a shower or wash their clothes. In one of the most scenic parts of Ireland, there are dry toilets. I hope the Minister of State will take this scheme for Downpatrick on board.