I am glad to have the opportunity to raise this important matter and place on the record of this House the sad state of affairs that in this day and age several hundred householders, farmers and others in the Clontuskert area of Ballinasloe, County Galway, do not have a water supply.
The most galling aspect of this case is that, unlike many other areas around the country, there is an outstanding water supply available for distribution to the householders concerned, both in terms of quality and quantity. The Ballinasloe Urban District Council has given permission for its mains to be tapped and because of a very substantial State investment in the mid-1980s there is far more water available than needed within the environs of Ballinasloe town, even allowing for future needs not yet identified. It should have been a relatively easy task to pipe water to the nearby parishes given the availability of a water source but it appears nothing is easy.
A very energetic local group water scheme committee was formed but they ran into a maze of bureaucracy. Very ambitious and necessary plans were drawn up to supply water to a huge area requiring running water urgently. However, resources provided by Government for ever increasing costly water schemes began to dwindle and the prospect of getting a single house connected became a mere fantasy. The years rolled on and, despite many very angry public meetings, countless deputations and internal committee meetings, the people of Clontuskert and the surrounding areas still do not have water. Indeed, I understand that this group water scheme committee met the Minister for the Environment in Roscrea recently. I hope the Minister of State is aware of that.
The committee, with local elected representatives, met senior county council officials about three months ago and a new revised programme of work was agreed on. In brief outline that meeting decided that Galway County Council would lay a major pipeline from Ballinasloe to Stapleton's Cross, Clontuskert, together with a smaller pipe which would be used to supply water along the route. The group water scheme committee would then be in a position to organise their own scheme which would bring water to about 125 houses and farms and another 25 to 30 land connections.
This is Phase I of a much larger scheme but it would be regarded as a giant step forward if it commenced. The new proposal is well known in the Minister's Department as I understand the council submitted the plans to the Department some weeks ago. It has a price tag of between £240,000 and £250,000. This compares well with the original cost of the scheme, which was almost £1.5 million. However, the commencement of this scheme would boost confidence locally and prove to people who are now angry and cynical that the Government understands their needs and will, respond accordingly.
I do not need to explain to the House the importance of running water. Much Dáil time was given recently to the discussion of many social issues, all of which to one degree or another try to liberate the individual and the term "basic human right" has echoed time and time again in this Chamber. I submit that failure by the Government to provide the environment which will allow families in ordinary homes to acquire running water is definitely a severe curtailment of a basic human right.
The families in Clontuskert are prepared to pay the going rate for a group water scheme of between £500 and £600 per house. They are ready, willing and able to take on the responsibility of organising and administering the group water scheme themselves. However, they cannot move an inch until the Minister's Department provides the £250,000 to fund the main pipeline to Stapleton's Cross. Not only will this investment bring water to approximately 150 homes, it will form the framework for the second phase to link as many more houses in the next round.
I ask the Minister of State, on behalf of everybody in the Clontuskert-Ballinasloe area, to make this relatively small sum available this year so that work may commence immediately.
