Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I ask the Deputy Leader to arrange a debate on Irish Water and how one might get an extension to a water or sewerage scheme. There is a lot of ambiguity about how it works and how extensions are prioritised. There are many small towns throughout the country that need extensions, and I wonder how these are prioritised.

Will the Deputy Leader also ask the Minister about the charges imposed by Irish Water on land connections? This affects fragmented farms particularly along the west coast, where most farms are small and fragmented. The fact that Irish Water is planning to introduce a standing charge for each connection will put huge pressure on small farmers.

A number of years ago, when Irish Water took over responsibility for water connections, it was agreed that there would be only one standing charge. I ask, as a matter of urgency, that we find out the position on the introduction of standing charges for fragmented farms because this will put a huge burden on a lot of small farms throughout the length and breadth of the west of Ireland in particular. I ask the Deputy Leader to investigate that matter.