Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like everybody else, I thank Mr. Martin Groves and all the staff in the Houses of the Oireachtas for their ongoing courtesy, decency and hard work in supporting the work we do.

I have a couple of issues. I raised a number of months ago through a Commencement matter the long-awaited and committed to pilot sewage schemes from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. It was going to identify at least one scheme, if not two, in a number of west of Ireland constituencies that have been waiting for decades at this stage for improved services. I think specifically of County Clare where Cooraclare, Broadford, Doolin and Carrigaholt are all waiting for upgraded sewerage facilities.It has been going on for years. In Broadford, in particular, no development can take place until the sewage scheme is upgraded. There is no sign of the upgrade, even though it has been committed to and promised. Some representatives even said that it would happen within six months, but it has not.

I want to make a point on the RTÉ fiasco. We need to keep things in perspective. I have known Ryan Tubridy for 30 years. We soldiered together in UCD. Back then, he was a fundamentally decent person and I think he is a fundamentally decent person today. Whatever the facts are surrounding the contract and so on, I, for one, sincerely hope that he is back on the radio in RTÉ doing what he does best.