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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 1 Feb 1994

Vol. 438 No. 1

Adjournment Debate. - Tullamore (Offaly) Group Water Scheme Proposal.

(Laoighis-Offaly): I would like to thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, for giving me the opportunity of raising this urgent problem and to thank the Minister of State for coming into the House to reply.

The area concerned is Tinnycross which is located not far from the town of Tullamore and where many new houses have been built in the past 15 to 20 years. When facilities such as septic tanks were being installed there the county council ensured that the work was executed to the desired standard. The area concerned is on the Eiscir Riada which, as the House will know, is the terminal moraine running right through the midlands. That is an area of gravel and glacial material which is very porous and in which it is difficult to locate and follow water courses.

The problem, however, is that there is serious pollution in the area. This has been monitored by the County Council environmental section on numerous occasions but it has proved impossible, due to the nature of the terrain, to trace the source of the problem. The county council is willing to assist, and has assisted, the water scheme group in the formulation of their proposals. A very active residents group has got together and is willing to make every possible local contribution to the provision of a group scheme. The county council has assisted them from a technical point of view and Tullamore Urban District Council is willing to supply the water from their supply. There are already two smaller group schemes in the adjacent area one of which is in the process of being taken over by the urban council and county council together, but there is certainly no problem with technical back-up or water supply and there is certainly no problem in regard to the willingness of the local residents to do their bit to ensure that the scheme is put in place.

I have to say, however, that it appears to the residents, and sometimes to staff in the county council, that the Department is causing unnecessary delays in the advancement of this proposal. In regard to the initial scheme that was sent in for consideration, the word that came back was that the proposed piping was too small in the light of possible future development in the area. The scheme was redesigned to take account of the Department's views and the next thing they were told was that the new design was too big and too costly. The Minister will be happy to know that it has been redesigned and resubmitted, it is hoped to the satisfaction of the Department. I want to stress that the problem is an urgent everyday one for people who live in the area. The water which comes from their wells is dirty and smelly. It is not suitable as drinking water and neither is it suitable for washing. This has caused much hardship over a number of years and I would welcome any indication from the Minister that progress can be made on this urgent scheme.

I wish to thank Deputy Gallagher for raising this matter here. The proposed scheme would serve up to 25 households and four farms in an area just outside Tullamore town. For the most part these householders are currently dependent on private individual ground water supplies, many of which are subject to localised pollution. As a result householders are anxious to obtain an alternative supply by connecting with an extension of the Tullamore public water supply scheme.

Tullamore Urban District Council has agreed to supply the group with sufficient water to meet their current demand as well as providing spare capacity to facilitate a future increase in demand of up to 50 per cent. The original design capacity, as recommended by Offaly County Council, was far in excess of immediate or projected group needs. This was likely to add significantly to the overall cost of the scheme and a preliminary estimate of the cost indicated that the scheme could not be financed on the basis of members' contributions and group water scheme grants. My Department recommended that the group's design engineer, in consultation with Offaly County Council, reexamine the proposal with a view to achieving cost savings. This is being done but the exercise has not yet been completed.

I am sure Deputy Gallagher will appreciate that until such time as these matters have been clarified I am not in a position to indicate what the overall cost of the scheme is likely to be or to assess in detail the cost implications for my Department or for individual group scheme members. I do understand, however, the concern of local householders to obtain a quality water supply. I am anxious that a workable solution should be found. I must stress that the delays to date were not caused by my Department. As soon as the result of the re-examination is available I will give priority consideration to this scheme.

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