An cheist atá agat uaimse ná an gá atá ann go gcuirfear scéim uisce nua ar fáil i gCloch na Rún i gContae na Gaillimhe agus ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghlacadh leis an Aire Stáit as ucht teacht isteach go dtí an Teach agus éisteacht leis an méid atá le rá agam.
Roundstone is a small village in Connemara. At present it has a severe problem with its water supply. I understand that a preliminary report has been submitted to the Department and that the estimated cost of providing an adequate water supply in Roundstone is £400,000.
The Roundstone water supply at present services an area including Cusatrower, Inishnee and along the Ballyconneely Road as far as Founachree. It is a large scattered area and in summer time particularly it has a vastly expanded population. Even at this time of year there is a problem with the water which has a bad taste. In summer time there is no water. On the bank holiday weekend last August the water scheme ran dry.
There is a need for a refurbished water scheme in Roundstone, as there is in many other areas in Connemara. It is impossible to develop tourism in an area so dependent on that industry if there is no basic infrastructure. We have enough problems with the roads but if we are consistently having problems with the water supply, it will be impossible to attract people to the area. Whatever tolerance people might have to bad roads, in the modern world people have no tolerance to lack of a basic facility like water.
For the local people also the lack of an adequate water supply in their daily lives is a huge inconvenience. It is therefore necessary that urgent priority be given to this water scheme and the preliminary report be processed speedily. Even after the preliminary report is processed the scheme will have to go back to Galway County Council for the preparation of contract documents after which it is sent to the Department of the Environment where officials vet the documents. It then goes through the tendering process and, if we have a grant, is sanctioned. As there is such a long road to be travelled and such urgency in regard to it I ask that urgent consideration be given to approving the preliminary report so that the next phase in the process can be progressed and the contract documents prepared, which I understand involves preparing detailed drawings of the design of the scheme.
Mar a dúirt mé ar dtús, tá an-támhacht leis an scéim seo do cheantar Chloc na Rún. Tá an-ghá le soláthar ceart uisce sa gceantar sin. Ceantar é atá ag brath go mór ar chursaí tura-sóireachta.
