I would like to raise this important matter with the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment. I am sorry the Minister is not present to hear my plea on behalf of the residents of the Schull and Ballydehob areas. It is well known that the western division of Cork County Council forwarded the tender for the water supply to the Minister's Department on 19 August 1992 for approval. According to information I received from the Department that tender is still on the Minister's desk awaiting approval and the provision of finance to carry out a much needed extension of the water supply to the Schull regional area. Schull is an international tourist resort and it is of paramount importance that an adequate water supply is available in the area for the promotion and extension of the tourism, fishing and other industries in the area.
Adjournment Debate. - Skibbereen (Cork) Water Supply.
Hear, hear.
Furthermore, the fishing and agricultural industries cannot expand without an adequate water supply and the development and expansion of the cottage cheese industry is hampered for the same reason. Machinery in fish plants is frequently damaged by the lack of pressure in the inadequate water supply and the expansion of ice making facilities are seriously curtailed for the same reason. There is a demand for 2,000 tonnes of ice per day in the fishing season from the port of Schull, especially during the hake season. It is sad that ice must be shipped from Castletownbere and Union Hall to supplement the meagre output from the plant in Schull and that farmers cannot cool milk to conform with EU standards due to the poor supply.
Schull and its hinterland have enormous potential with a proven history of enterprise and growth. The area has a national and international reputation. Beneath that success lies an empty well and without a proper water supply it cannot continue to survive and prosper.
It is more than four years since the areas of Schull and Ballydehob were promised a proper water supply. A billboard in the area outlines EU funding for stages 2 and 3 of the Skibbereen water scheme and indicates it will be extended to Ballydehob and Schull. Lichens are now growing on that billboard.
An Taisce will take it over as a national monument.
What happened to the European funding received for stages 2 and 3 of the Skibbereen water scheme? Where has that money been spent? Has it been used for building flyovers and bypasses in Dublin? The people of west Cork are crying out for a proper water supply in the Schull area. Action is overdue in this case. The Minister has the remedy in his Department, he should give the green light, approve the tender and provide finance to carry out this project immediately.
, Wexford): I thank Deputy Sheehan for raising the issue.
I fully appreciate the urgency attached to stage 3 of this project which is designed to improve capacity in the Schull and Ballydehob areas of West Cork. Tenders for stage 3, which has an estimated cost of £2.7 million, were received in April 1992 and have been technically approved. However, in common with many other worthwhile proposals in County Cork and throughout the country, it has not been possible to provide financing for it up to now due to the pressure of other priority schemes within the water services programme.
Considerable work and investment have already been undertaken to upgrade the water supply system in Skibbereen. Stage 1, which cost £3.75 million, involved the provision of a new intake, reservoirs, pumping station and distribution network for the town and was completed in August 1988. Work on stage 2 included the construction of a reservoir and laying of rising and distribution mains to serve the rural area west of Skibbereen. This stage was completed in July 1992 at a cost of £1.3 million.
West Cork has more recently benefited from the last round of Structural Funds where, in addition to a flood relief works scheme in Skibbereen, a major water supply project at Timoleague-Courtmacsherry was also completed with EU assistance.
Nationally, substantial progress was made during the last operational programme with expenditure of nearly £400 million on water and sewerage infrastructure and an EU Structural and Cohesion Fund contribution of over £177 million. Continued investment to consolidate and build on the progress made to date is vitally important.
The National Development Plan and the availability of Cohesion Funds will support an accelerated programme of investment in environmental infrastructure relating to water supply and sewage treatment, with investment of around £100 million a year over the period of the plan. In 1994 alone, £122 million has been provide for water services — the highest provision secured for this important programme in the history of the State. Nevertheless, in spite of substantial grant assistance from the EU together with Exchequer financing it is difficult to meet the demands at the pace which we would all like.
Work is well advanced within the framework of the National Development Plan in putting together the operational programme for environmental services. The determination of priorities under the operational programme will take account of a wide range of factors including the need to meet our obligations under the urban waste water and drinking water directives and the requirements of industry and the tourism sector. Until this process has been completed, it will not be possible to indicate those schemes which will get to construction in the next few years.
I recognise the urgency of the case made by the Deputy and I will keep him informed of the position with regard to Skibbereen water supply scheme, stage 3, in this regard.
That is cold comfort to the people of Schull and Ballydehob.