I thank the Chair for giving me permission to raise this matter and I thank the Minister of State for coming into the House to listen to a simple and straighforward request on behalf of 36 householders who live in a curiously named road, north of the city sprawl of Donaghmede which I represent, called the Hole in the Wall Road. There is a cluster of cottages known as St. Michael's Cottages and other artisan dwellings along the road, 36 in all, which were built between 1903 and 1940. It is an area of the city within the remit of Dublin Corporation, but if one could ignore the encroaching urban spread it has the appearance of a very rural setting. Many old artisan families and people who work in the market gardens further to the north in the Kinsealy area live there.
The cottages were built without any main sewerage system being available to them. Over the years only a few of the cottages have been able to put in septic tank systems, although they have the required area of land available to them. The local authority are stringent in the conditions laid down for septic tank systems because of the absence of good drainage. The houses are at sea level or, perhaps, marginally below it and very close to the Malahide estuary, with the main river running to the front of them. Drainage is virtually non-existent, except in a few cases where septict tanks have been installed. The majority of the cottages use the dry toilet system. Many elderly and infirm people have to empty and bury waste on a daily basis. This has led to the pollution of many open drains in the area, due to the discharge or seepage of sink or toilet waste.
I understand this is the last scheme of houses in the corporation's area of responsibility without a proper main drainage system. This is despite the fact that almost on their doorstep there are massive developments at Newgrove, Grange Abbey, Donaghmede and Airfield, to name but a few. A developer recently put forward a proposal to build 970 houses practically in their back gardens. The residents are asking the Minister for the Environment to take the necessary steps to provide the funding for this scheme.
I raised this matter with the Minister for the Environment by way of question in the House on 3 December. He advised me that he had received the scheme from the corporation but had sent it back to them for further details. The corporation had not advised other councillors or me of this. The day before they advised us that they had submitted the scheme to the Department and it was estimated that the proposals would cost approximately £631,000. Quite frankly, I find this figure remarkable in view of what is expected. The figure may well be accurate and I should like the Minister to clarify this point. There is some confusion about whether the scheme is with the Minister or the corporation. If the scheme is with the corporation I should like the Minister to outline the basis for this.
In short, I am asking if the Minister would be agreeable to meet with the residents in the very near future so that these issues can be teased out and a firm commitment given that the work will be undertaken on their behalf in the near future.