asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make an urgent statement on the steps he now proposes to take to resolve the disputes which imminently threaten water supplies to Dublin and Cork.
Private Notice Questions: - Dublin and Cork Water Supplies.
asked the Minister for the Environment the action he proposes to take by way of intervention to resolve the local authority engineer's dispute.
The provision and maintenance of water supplies is a matter for the appropriate local authority. With regard to the disputes to which the Deputies refer the position in respect of the local authority engineers' salary claim is that the Local Government Staff Negotiations Board have referred the matter to the Employer/Labour Conference. The conference have been asked to take appropriate action as a matter of urgency.
In the case of the dispute in the Dublin Corporation Water Works Maintenance Section, the Labour Court have issued a recommendation which has been rejected by the unions concerned and the local authority are at the moment reviewing the position.
The dispute affecting the water supply in Cork arises, I understand, as a result of an unofficial picket at the city water works. My information is that the essential pumping operations are being maintained.
As regards Deputy O'Leary's question, as the Local Government Staff Negotiations Board have referred the matter to the Employer-Labour Conference it would not be appropriate for me to intervene.
In relation to the water supply in Dublin which is now critical, does the Minister propose to take any immediate steps to ensure an adequate water supply to industry and homes in the city? The water in this House is already muddied because of the dispute.
In the event of any emergency the Army will relieve the situation as they did over the weekend.
Would the Minister accept that water rationing will impose hardship on many sections of the population in the Dublin area, the old, the handicapped and those living on their own? Will the Minister accept that the onus is on him to ensure that the parties meet without delay to resume negotiations so as to avert the possibility of this stoppage?
As I have already said, the matter of the engineers has been referred by the staff negotiations' board to the Employer-Labour Conference and they have been asked to deal with it as a matter of urgency. With regard to the maintenance section, they rejected the recommendations of the Labour Court and at present the Dublin city manager and the Dublin Corporation are reviewing the position.
Does the Minister not see that in the national interest he is obliged to intervene to defend the public interest in this dispute, and to see that talks start this afternoon? The Labour Court recommendation has been rejected but talks must resume.
The engineers' dispute has been referred to the Employer/ Labour Conference today.
I am talking about the rejection by the maintenance people today of the Labour Court recommendation in the Dublin dispute. That has been reviewed by the local authority. Does the Minister not agree that there is an onus on him to arrange meetings between the parties this evening?
There is no onus on me. As I have said, the Dublin city manager is at present reviewing the situation.
If the situation is being reviewed surely it is obvious that it is the Government's job to defend the public interests and that in the absence of another Minister the onus is on this Minister to intervene in the dispute.
Deputy Fitzpatrick wishes to ask a supplementary question.
(Cavan-Monaghan): If this question is finished——
It is not. Is the Minister aware that already in Dublin city, areas are without water? Will the Minister tell the House the implications of this in relation to fire fighting, jobs, health and safety especially where water heaters are left on with no water going through them? Is there the likelihood of explosions on account of this and if so what action will the Minister take to resolve the position?
I have no knowledge of any danger of explosions, but if water rationing becomes necessary I have no doubt that the Dublin Corporation and county council will ensure that it causes the least possible hardship.
This situation has not arisen solely because of the two disputes referred to. One of the main reasons for this situation is because the ESB found it necessary to use a huge amount of water during an ESB dispute. Secondly, the rainfall has been minimal since last September and the water table has not risen as it has in other years. If this supply had not been required by the ESB there would probably be no shortage of water. But, in an emergency the Army are standing by to assist, as they did over the weekend.
Can the Minister assure the House that he will intervene in this dispute this evening to get new talks started between the parties who rejected the Labour Court decision?
That is repetitious. The Order of Business.
Is the Minister aware that most of the water supply to the towns in County Kildare comes from the reservoir which is low, and has the Minister any opinion on that vital aspect of the matter?
(Cavan-Monaghan): I wish to give notice that I intend to raise on the Adjournment, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, the collapse of local government services, such as water supplies, refuse collections, main road works, environmental employment schemes and local improvement schemes.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
(Cavan-Monaghan): I have been trying to raise this for the past fortnight. The position is deteriorating day after day and has now reached crisis proportions.
I will let the Deputy know in the usual way.