Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is welcome to the House. This is an issue that affects many rural communities, but especially those in my county of Clare. There has been underinvestment in wastewater facilities there for decades under all Governments. There are many pockets of County Clare where development is precluded simply because there is not proper wastewater infrastructure. We are in a situation where in Broadford village the planning regulator altered the Clare county development plan and dezoned land because the infrastructure is not there. This scheme is a pilot proposed by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heri back in 2020. Oireachtas Members from County Clare met him in the Custom House in October or November 2020. The Minister suggested he was going to look at devising a pilot scheme. I think the figure mentioned was €50 million. Local authorities were asked to make submissions a long time ago, that is, nearly a year and a half ago, on suitable projects. Clare County Council submitted two, one being for Broadford and the other for Cooraclare. It could have submitted 22, but it submitted two. I raised this as a Commencement matter last December and was told the decision was imminent and would be made in quarter 1 in 2023. By decision, I mean the announcement of which schemes were going to be successful so the councils could proceed to tender, etc.I raised it again in March because quarter 1 was over, and I was told that it would happen before the summer. I raised it again in July but, again, nothing happened. I am now raising it again at almost the end of September. When are we going to get an announcement on this pilot scheme? The children's hospital will be built and will be up and running and we will still be waiting to see if Broadford and Cooraclare in County Clare will get their sewerage schemes. The problem is that people in those villages who have money are ready and willing to build housing and to develop commercial units and put infrastructure into the villages. We are all about supporting rural Ireland and encouraging people to relocate there, yet this scheme has been talked about, discussed, debated and promised for nearly three years. At this stage I want answers as to when exactly we are going to have an announcement on the schemes. I am fully aware that it is not the Department of the Minister of State but I sincerely hope the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, has given him the answer.