Vol. 404 No. 7
5 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment if he has any plans for a national water authority; if, despite the high rainfall and low density of population in the Republic, he considers a water conservation campaign is necessary; if so, the reason, and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I have no plans for a national water authority. The Environmental Protection Agency Bill, 1990, provides for an integrated approach to the protection and management of the environment and a separate, sectoral, authority would not be in keeping with that approach.
I am aware of difficulties which have arisen with water supplies in specific areas, notably Dublin, where effective local conservation measures are being taken. In this regard, my Department are in close contact with the Dublin local authorities with a view to developing proposals that will provide a greater guarantee of supply to consumers. Specific proposals for the provision of an interlink between the various sources of supply are also to be developed to reduce dependence in particular areas on any one source.
I am glad to say that supplies from the Roundwood source have improved considerably following the replenishment of the reservoir. However, because of the uncertainty of this source of supply during periods of low rainfall, the need to conserve supplies must always be kept in mind.
While I do not consider a water conservation campaign to be necessary at national level, I am pleased that there is an increased national awareness of the value of our water resources. The document "Water and Sanitary Services in Ireland" published in December 1990 and circulated to Deputies, should assist this greater awareness.
Would the Minister not agree that to ask Irish people to conserve water is like asking the Eskimos to conserve ice? Would he not agree that when the whole country is paddling in floods and every farm is underwater it is a joke when the PRO of Dublin Corporation gets on the radio frequently and urges people in the middle of winter to conserve water? Would he not accept that there is something fundamentally wrong with the planning of his Department and of the local authorities concerned in arranging for adequate water supplies, bearing in mind that in the island next to us, which has 20 times our population, they have no difficulty supplying water to meet the needs of their people?
I agree with the Deputy that over a long number of years people took our water resources for granted but we had a rude shock last year. There is considerable ongoing planning in place so far as providing adequate water supplies for Dublin, in particular, is concerned. Work is in progress on the Ballymore Eustace scheme which will provide an additional 15 million gallons of water per day. That scheme is costing in the region of £13 million. Other works are in place as well. I can assure the Deputy that we are very conscious of the fact that we should be able to continue to provide an adequate source and supply of water for the metropolitan area in general.
I am glad to hear what the Minister said. In relation to the campaign to conserve water, has the Minister planned to have a campaign similar to that in the Netherlands a few years ago? I was a little surprised and shocked to see silhouettes of a naked man and a woman facing each other saying that, to save water, one should shower with a friend. I hope the Minister has no such plans for Wilma and Fred of the "Flintstones".
The Deputy will be pleased to learn that we do not have any similar conservation campaign in mind. However, I join with him in saying that people should be careful with this resource, a scarce resource when everything is taken into consideration. We have mainly been using surface water resources for many years. Of course, there is a great ground water resource and this is being examined at present with a view to supplying adequate water at all times to all our citizens.
Let us come to deal with Question No. 6 in the name of the same Deputy.
