asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state further to a reply of 2nd June, whether he has yet received a full report from Waterford County Council regarding the provision of piped water supplies in certain areas in West Waterford; and, if so, what were the contents of such report.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - West Waterford Water Supplies.
19.
I have received a report from Waterford County Council stating that the council have decided not to proceed with the Modeligo regional water supply scheme and that a sub-committee, appointed to deal with the water supplies of the county, have recommended to the council that the residents of the Modeligo area should be encouraged to undertake group or private water supply schemes and that the position be re-examined in the course of a few months. The report further states that formal consideration of this recommendation was adjourned to the next meeting of the county council. Further to the Deputy's previous question, the costs incurred by the council on the Modeligo scheme are stated in the report to be £2,673 15s. 9d.
Does the Minister not think it alarming that a piped water supply scheme in a pretty advanced stage should be sabotaged in favour of a group water supply scheme as a result of a deputation being received from a certain organisation? Would the Minister not intercede with this council in order that this important scheme will be continued? These schemes should be abandoned on economic grounds only.
I am not sufficiently well versed in the matters that brought about this report to reply to the supplementary questions of the Deputy, but I would point out that the formal consideration of the recommendation in the report was adjourned to a later meeting of the council which has not yet taken place. If the mind of the council is in any way reflected by what the Deputy has said, it may well be that the recommendation might not be adopted but I am not in a position to give an opinion at this stage as to whether it would be a good thing or a bad thing to do so.
There seems to be a tendency for this council to abandon these much-needed piped water supply extension schemes on grounds of economy following representations by pressure groups in the area, to the detriment of the people at large.