Joanne Collins (Sinn Fein)

I welcome the Minister of State. County Limerick's main county town is Newcastle West. It is a tier 2 town under the national development plan. Irish Water has advised that there has been no connection to sewerage or water as of a couple of weeks ago, when I received an email, because of construction going ahead on a site with 93 houses. Some of them had been earmarked as social and affordable houses. The site received planning permission at the end of 2023. At the beginning of 2024, 81 of the 93 houses had been commenced. Unfortunately, however, none of these houses have been finished because of the issue with water.

I have contacted Irish Water. There are three treatment plants in the vicinity. Kilcolman springs is one and Tobergal springs is another. They are in development and the outlook is that there will be some headroom for the Newcastle West supply, but not until 2028. The upgrade to Irish Water's own treatment plant in Newcastle West is still at planning and development stage. That still needs to go to tender. The agency does not expect to have anything hooked up to that until 2031. We are in the middle of a housing emergency in 2025 and this town has three rental homes as of today.

It will not only affect homes. I have also been told this will affect businesses. Any new business that comes into Newcastle West may not have a connection to water. Irish Water will take it on a case-by-case basis, dependent on the size of the development or whether it is a home or business. The only tier 2 town in the county is now in lockdown when it comes to housing.