(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.