asked the Minister for the Environment if he can offer any explanation for the high incidence of coloured water constantly flowing through the town water system at Portlaoise, County Laois; if non-filtered water is in use by the public of the town; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Portlaoise Water System.
4.
In accordance with section 65 of the Public Health (Ireland) Act, 1878, responsibility for the supply of pure and wholesome water is a matter for each sanitary authority, and I have no function in the matter.
However, I understand from inquiries of Laois County Council that certain areas of Portlaoise town are affected by discolouration of the water supplies, which arises from the inadequacy of the present filtering system. The quality of the water is continually monitored by the director of Community Care with the Midland Health Board for chemical and bacteriological quality and has been at all times passed as safe and suitable for human consumption. To alleviate the problem certain remedial work has been carried out locally and further measures will be undertaken, I understand, over the months ahead.
In accordance with Laois County Council's proposals for the long term improvement of the water supply situation in Portlaoise I approved on 22 January 1985 the acceptance, by Laois County Council, of the tender submitted by Messrs. Dick Collins (Croom) Ltd. for the civil works contract of the Portlaoise water supply improvement scheme. It is now a matter for the council to advance this scheme to construction stage.
Can the Minister give any assurance to the public in Portlaoise in relation to this matter, bearing in mind that it is an expanding town, a growing population and where there has been very great concern that so many people had to use coloured water for domestic purposes? Can it be taken that the Minister's statement constituted an assurance to consumers of water that, even though it may be coloured there is no health hazard or danger whatever in relation to the supply? Perhaps the Minister would ask an officer of his Department to keep a close and watchful eye on the matter even though he has now indicated that his Department have no responsibility? During the period in which I was in that Department there was a certain responsibility and the Department always kept a close, watchful eye on the matter. Perhaps the Minister would be good enough to keep the matter under constant review by way of assurance to the people in Portlaoise?
The Deputy will agree that the close and watchful eye of the Department of the Environment can never match the scrutiny of Deputy Flanagan in matters relating to the County of Laois. Therefore, the assurance I am giving the Deputy — repeating from my reply — comes from the director of Community Care with the Midland Health Board who, no doubt, is known personally to the Deputy. He has the technical qualifications available to him to repeat the assurance I have given already and which can be relayed to the people of the town of Portlaoise, which is that while the water may be discoloured it has been passed and is constantly monitored as being safe and suitable for human consumption.
I admire the political teamwork between the Minister and Deputy Flanagan. Are there other proposals from Laois County Council with the Minister's Department awaiting approval for further improvements to the water supply in Portlaoise because the Minister indicated in his reply that his Department had already granted approval? I put it to him that there are other proposals in relation to the provision of additional finance in respect of which Laois County Council are awaiting approval and which is urgently required to carry out a full development programme in relation to the water supply in the town.
I can understand Deputy Hyland's concern. I would suggest that, since 22 January — according to the information available to me here — contract approval for a sum of over £500,000, to be precise £654,000 odd, was given by the Department of the Environment, the ball now rests clearly and entirely with Laois County Council to bring forward that scheme. I should have thought that getting on with that work, as a start, would constitute progress in relation to the problems vis-á-vis water supply in Portlaoise. The Department of the Environment will consider any other proposal that may be submitted but I am not in a position — in accordance with the information supplied to me in relation to Deputy Flanagan's question — to offer any further information to Deputy Hyland.