I wish to share my time with Deputy Michael Ahern.
Adjournment Debate. - Whitegate (Cork) Sewerage Scheme.
Is that satisfactory? Agreed.
I am grateful to you, Sir, for having given me this opportunity to raise a vitally important issue, the discharge of untreated sewage into Cork Harbour from the Whitegate area.
As Members will be aware, there is a major drive to attract visitors to the Cork harbour area where there are numerous water sports facilities such as wind-surfing, sailing and rowing.
An estate of local authority houses was built in Upper Aghada in 1968. Sewerage piping from these houses led to the river which flows into Whitegate Bay. The sewage from Upper Aghada, all Whitegate and the houses in between, stays on the slobs in the Whitegate tidal bay for some 12 hours daily. A local authority report of 1991 stated that raw sewage from Whitegate village and Upper Aghada, with an estimated population of 737, is discharged via a culvert to the foreshore directly on to the promenade in the centre of Whitegate village, where there is considerable, visible pollution. There are also noxious smells throughout the village, especially during the summer months.
The present position is completely unacceptable. Local beaches such as White Bay are used by a large section of the community. An analysis of the water carried out in 1991 showed pollution levels to be significantly higher than those recommended by the EC guidelines for bathing water. As far back as 1972 the chief medical officer of the Southern Health Board said that the pollution was a danger to public health.
In 1992 contract documents for a scheme costing £256,000 were submitted to the Department of the Environment. The people of Whitegate are very anxious that the Minister makes the money available for this scheme to be commenced and, on behalf of my constituents, I urge him to do so.
As the House will be well aware, the EC has laid down strict guidelines concerning pollution. All too often these guidelines are disregarded by private and public bodies alike, which is not good enough, since waterways are among our most valuable assets/resources and must be protected at all times. We should remember that our country has a reputation of being a green, unpolluted island and we must do everything we can to maintain that good image. The Whitegate area in Cork Harbour is one of the most scenic areas nationwide. Let us keep it that way.
I thank Deputy Mulvihill for having given me a few moments of his time to raise the long saga of the Whitegate sewage problem.
Whitegate has become one of the new tourist centres of east Cork, especially since the opening of the Trobolgan Holiday Centre. In addition, in recent years there has been development in and around Whitegate and the Aghada area. As a result of this and the location of the ESB station at Aghada sewage has been a problem in Whitegate Harbour.
As Deputy Mulvihill said, a sewerage scheme had been promised for many years but nothing has happened. I join him in requesting the Minister to solve this problem as quickly as possible as it is causing concern in the locality. I urge the Minister to do his utmost to bring the matter to a satisfactory conclusion.
Over the past six years my Department has provided in excess of £45 million for new and improved water and sewerage schemes throughout County Cork. So far this year almost £7.6 million have been allocated to schemes in the county. In addition, significant progress has been made in the planning for new sewage treatment facilities or sewerage networks at a number of locations throughout the county, including Cork city. Mitchelstown Midleton, Kinsale, Bantry, Cobh, Skibbereen and Leap which are included in a list of environmental projects in respect of which Cohesion Fund assistance is being sought.
In the case of Whitegate and Upper Aghada, Cork County Council made an application to my Department for grant assistance of £50,000 under the small water and sewerage schemes programme in 1989 and the grant was approved. At that time, Cork County Council was informed that the work should be undertaken and all claims in relation to schemes made in that year. However, Cork County Council did not carry out the work in 1989 and the scheme was resubmitted for consideration in 1991 at an estimated cost of £125,000. Because of the existing level of commitments and the increased number of high priority schemes competing for funds it was not possible to approve the scheme. Late last year Cork County Council submitted contract documents in respect of the Whitegate sewerage scheme to my Department for consideration under the major water and sanitary services programme. The scheme is now estimated to cost £256,000. I understand that Cork County Council has also sought tenders for the work.
While Cork County Council has outlined to my Department the problems posed by the prevailing circumstances, notably in relation to public health, visual pollution and odours, recognition of the need for the scheme was implicit in the approval of grant assistance in 1989. I would point out that the local authority did not utilise the grant when the money was available. The scheme has increased in scope and cost since while, at the same time, the scale of investment implications of our national obligations has been clarified and intensified. In this context, despite the local authority decision to proceed to contract documents and tender stages, so far it has not been possible to afford the scheme priority within the national programme or to give any specific commitment with regard to its funding.
The matter is at present under consideration in my Department. I can assure Deputies Mulvihill and Michael Ahern that I will do everything I can to ensure that funds are made available as soon as possible to allow the scheme to proceed.