Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

112. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on a matter (details supplied) with regard to Ireland's breach of pollution laws; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8841/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (Council Directive 91/271/EEC) mandates waste water collection and treatment requirements for urban agglomerations. There are various deadlines for meeting the requirements of the Directive, one of which was the requirement for secondary treatment to be provided for all agglomerations which discharge to freshwaters and estuaries and have a population equivalent of greater than 2,000 by 31 December 2005.

A first letter of formal notice, issued in September 2013, signalled that the European Commission had commenced an infringement process against Ireland regarding its implementation of the Directive. This was followed by a supplementary letter of formal notice in September 2015. A Reasoned Opinion was issued on 30 September 2016, with the Commission deciding to refer the case to the Court of Justice of the EU on 15 February 2017.

The supplementary letter of formal notice of September 2015 identified compliance concerns around a total of 82 agglomerations. Ireland has satisfied the Commission, through their responses to date, that 44 agglomerations should be removed from the case. This demonstrates that considerable progress has been made in addressing these issues. However, 38 agglomerations remain of concern to the Commission and have now been referred to the Court.

Since taking over responsibility for water services on 1 January 2014, Irish Water has put in place a prioritised range of projects to deal with the historic deficits and lack of investment in waste water collection and treatment across the country. Irish Water has identified key projects, in both their current and recently approved future capital investment plans, to address all non-compliances in their waste water treatment plants by 2021 for each of the areas identified by the Commission in this ECJ case. The cost of these works is estimated at €1 billion.

However, further significant and sustained investment will be essential to ensure ongoing compliance, to cater for growth and to provide waste water services that protect the environment and meet our obligations under the directive.

Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email at oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on a dedicated number, 1890 578 578.