On the adjournment Deputy Dunne gave notice that he would raise the subject matter of Question No. 27 on to-day's Order Paper.
Adjournment Debate—Tallaght Sewage Disposal Works.
To-day I asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance the following question:—
"if he is aware (a) of the danger to health created by the present neglect of the sewage disposal works at Tallaght Camp, County Dublin; and (b) that the overflow from these works flows past the windows of a house and through fields causing a serious threat to the lives of human beings and also to dairy herds; and, if so, whether he will have the position investigated immediately with a view to ensuring that this neglect is remedied and that the former system of employing a worker to look after these works is resumed."
In reply the Parliamentary Secretary stated:—
"I am not aware that there is any danger to health arising out of the operation of the sewage disposal works of Tallaght Camp. I am satisfied that there is no neglect in the working of the installation and I do not propose to alter the present arrangement in that regard."
Not content with making a negative and, I may say, a meaningless reply to my Supplementary Question, the Parliamentary Secretary proceeded to usurp my rights and privileges as a Deputy by putting questions to me, whereas, of course, his primary function is that of answering questions put to him and providing such information as he may have at his disposal at the request of Deputies. It may have been thought that that particular tactic utilised in this case would be useful as a device to shroud what has been happening in Tallaght for some considerable time. It may be that the Parliamentary Secretary feels that his local knowledge of the area is better than mine. I agree that I am only a Deputy representing the area and cannot claim to spend every night or day there. But I do say that in this matter there is an injustice being done to the people of the Tallaght district.
There are in Tallaght a relatively large number of industries employing many workers and these industries have a sewage disposal works for their use and convenience. Some years ago it was the practice of the Office of Public Works to employ a worker for the purpose of seeing that these sewage disposal works were kept in good order, that the overflow from them did not result in the pollution of the stream passing nearby and that the public health was protected. Then, with the advent of the economy mind, the services of this worker were dispensed with, with the result that for a very considerable time these sewage disposal works have been grossly neglected and have been a matter of repeated complaint to the Office of Public Works. At present the position is that the Tymon, a small stream running near these works along by a cottage tenanted by a very hard-working family and flowing through lands on which there are many dairy herds, is polluted. The condition of this stream is such that it constitutes a serious threat to the health, not alone of the people living in the cottage, but of the people of this city, because much of the milk consumed in this city comes from dairy farmers who use that land for their herds. It has been a common thing in recent years to find cows which graze beside that river dead from poisoning by the pollution. Yet we have the Parliamentary Secretary stating here that he was not aware that there was any danger arising out of the present condition of this stream. It is a matter of amazement to me to hear such a view expressed by the Parliamentary Secretary, because his knowledge of the area should prevent him from making a statement of that kind.
I want, therefore, to ask the Parliamentary Secretary to bring to bear on this problem a fresh view instead of the customary Office of Public Works attitude which I heard very fittingly described the other day as that of a body moving with the most perfect precision and doing absolutely nothing. This is a matter concerning my constituents which should not be dealt with lightly by the Parliamentary Secretary and which could be easily remedied. It is surely far more important that the health of the people of Tallaght and those who live in the cottage of which I have spoken should be protected and that the dairy herds which graze along the side of the stream, which is laden with sewage, should also be protected, than that we should be thinking of saving a few pounds in the year which might well be expended upon the employment of a man and in the taking of any measures necessary to remedy the present situation there. I, therefore, ask the Parliamentary Secretary to look into the matter again and do something to remedy this grievance so that the name of the Office of Public Works will be respected in at least one area in this country and so that at least in Tallaght, in the constituency of County Dublin, we shall not have the usual feeling amongst the people that the Office of Public Works does not care whether the people of this country live or die.
I think that Deputy Dunne was rather vexed to-day when I put a question to him. Probably I was not entitled to do it. I asked him when the conditions there became bad. I can assure Deputy Dunne that I was never in Tallaght in my life. I do not know where it is. I have here a report to the Board of Works of the conditions there. I want to point out that the Minister for Finance is responsible for running and maintaining the sewage works for Urney Chocolates, Ltd., in that area—for that factory alone at the expense of the company. Up to 1942 the Department employed a man and paid him. The salary that was paid to him was recouped from the company. During the years prior to 1942 there were terrible complaints about the way the work was being carried out until finally the company objected and said the work was costing too much and that the job was not being properly done. The result was that the Department got rid of the man and handed over the job to the company itself which paid for the work that was being done. Since then there had not been the slightest complaint until this question was put down by Deputy Dunne. Since 1942 there has not been a word of complaint. Prior to that, there had been complaints not only from the company that was paying for getting the work done but from the general public.
In view of that we could not help discontinuing this man's employment and letting the company do the work itself. Since 1942 the company has been doing it very efficiently. As a matter of fact, on the 31st of October last our architect accompanied by two others, went out there and inspected the place. They admit that to a certain extent, but away from the portion that we are responsible for, there is an effluent from a privately owned plant in the area, from county council cottages at Culbert's Fort and waste from the factory of Barnes' Ltd. and the Redbreast Preserving Co. for which we are not responsible. The portion that we are responsible for is kept in perfect order. In order to satisfy the Deputy's mind—knowing the interest that he has in this area— I want to tell him that we have got this information: that it is understood locally at least that the county council are about to embark on a housing scheme there—I am sure Deputy Dunne knows that too—which will involve the laying of a main sewer along the road fronting the leased portion of Tallaght camp and that when that sewer has been laid the necessity for any use of a sewage disposal plant will then cease.
The Dáil adjourned at 10.45 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 9th November, 1949.