Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am sure the Leader will join me in again expressing our solidarity with the people of Ukraine following the horrific and deliberate targeting by Russia of the main children's hospital in Kyiv overnight. This is part of an appalling ongoing war and it is something we need to regularly recall in this House. Ukraine continues to fight for its survival. There is a dangerous, despotic regime in Russia. While it is often said we are militarily neutral, we cannot be politically neutral. The State needs to reiterate in the strongest terms our support for Ukraine and whatever support we can give to the Ukrainian people we need to give it. In particular, we need to express our solidarity after the horrific attacks last night.

I raise the issue of an ongoing boil-water notice in Ferns, County Wexford. The people who live in over 1,000 homes are now going into their 12th day of a boil-water notice in Ferns and the indications are that this could last another two to three weeks. This is very unfair to the people of Ferns. I reserve my main criticism for Uisce Éireann. Its complete failure to communicate with the people and businesses of Ferns is unacceptable. There should be a representative of Uisce Éireann on the ground talking to people, explaining what is happening and working with Wexford County Council to provide solutions. To have a boil-water notice last this long is not acceptable. I have submitted a Commencement matter on this issue, which I hope the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage will accept. The real problem, as we have seen so often in the past, is the failure by Uisce Éireann to speak with the users of its services.