Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I echo my colleagues who have called for a debate on transport and for the Minister to attend the House. BusConnects is galloping along and there have been several rounds of public consultation, but it does not appear that the public's concerns are always being taken on board. Now, we are looking at planning permissions next spring in respect of the likes of Stannaway Road in Dublin South-Central. The plans, as they stand, will make the area uninhabitable for many of those living there.

I have risen to ask for a debate on Irish Water and how we are going to deal with older infrastructure that is subject to rules that cause residents a great deal of hardship. In Dublin, entire roads are reliant on archaic drainage systems. If someone lives in a red brick house in Dublin 8, he or she is relying on brick culverts at the back of the house for drainage. That resident can have the misfortune of manhole covers being in his or her garden as well, and if other people put items into their drainage systems that block drains and causes water to overflow into the resident's garden, then he or she gets no assistance. No one in the State has responsibility and the resident is obliged to unblock the drain and cover the cost himself or herself because, even though the drain is shared by everyone on that road, it is on his or her private property. If homeowners wanted to connect the private brick culverts at the back of some of these red brick houses to Irish Water's system, it would cost each of them €4,000. That is just a connection fee and does not cover digging or anything else. We met Irish Water recently to discuss such matters, but the ramping up of its services will not provide a solution. Occasionally, local authorities exercise their discretion to step in and assist, but there will be no discretion with the Irish Water system in future. I have sat with colleagues and we have considered writing a Private Members' Bill to oblige ownership by the State, but that would incur a cost on the State, which Senators cannot do. The Seanad needs to discuss the practical realities of such an archaic water system, the hardship it causes homeowners and how that is dealt with in order that the Minister can hear from us and can act accordingly.