Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 2 May 1996

Vol. 464 No. 8

Adjournment Debate. - Ballyvaughan (Clare) Sewerage Scheme.

Miss de Valera

This serious problem has obtained in Ballyvaughan for the past four or five years, with raw sewerage flowing from the bay to a tract of land located about one and a half miles outside Ballyvaughan, known locally as "the Ryan" and a sandy beach about the same distance from the town. Bearing in mind the many different walks and other attractive tourist amenities in the area, this problem must be tackled expeditiously.

The raw sewage is seeping from manholes right along the coast road, near the pier in Ballyvaughan, affecting dwellinghouses, restaurants and public houses in the area. Indeed the direction of the wind determines whether residents can open their windows. There is no question of my attempting to exaggerate its consequences since this has already been described as a public health nuisance by the supervisory environmental health officer of the MidWestern Health Board.

It will be readily appreciated that Ballyvaughan is a high tourist amenity area where a number of extra dwellings, both permanent and holiday homes, are being constructed.

The problem is perceived not only as a public nuisance but a health hazard to local residents. I am informed it is further exacerbated by the fact that, although pipes take this raw sewage out to sea — because of a mal-functioning valve — the incoming tide brings it back to the shore. I hope the Minister will seek urgent funding and assist Clare County Council to remedy this problem.

There is also the associated problem of an inadequate water supply in Ballyvaughan where, last summer, many local residents had to draw their own water supplies from old wells. These wells need to be cleaned and the pipes leading from them into reservoirs also require urgent attention. Clare County Council installed a borehole just outside Newtowncastle, on which residents of Ballyvaughan must rely for their water supplies, which with old wells — when the pipes leading from them to the reservoir have been attended to — would help to alleviate the local water supply problem.

I hope the Minister will inform the House of the position of the Doolin-Lisdoonvarna water supply scheme — at present under examination in Brussels — which I understand will be grant-aided from European Union Cohesion Funds. I am also informed that Clare County Council awaits approval to advertise for tenders from contractors to undertake this project. Perhaps the Minister can inform us when it is expected that project will commence. I brought these matters to the attention of the Minister today because they should be dealt with immediately. I hope we hear good news from the Minister.

Minister for Enterprise and Employment (Mr. R. Bruton)

I apologise for the inability of the Minister for the Environment, Deputy Howlin, to attend but I am happy to reply on his behalf. I thank Deputy de Valera for raising the matter and I assure her that I will bring the matter to the Minister's attention.

I am glad to have the opportunity to give a brief outline of Clare County Council's proposals for Ballyvaughan and other locations in the Burren and north Clare area. Ballyvaughan is located on the periphery of the Burren. Its existing sewage collection and treatment system was constructed in the 1960s and comprises a collection system and septic tank treatment which discharges to the bay by way of a short sea outfall. The village has grown since the system was put in place and the population also increases significantly during the tourist season. Other towns in the Burren region have also experienced substantial growth, particularly as regards recent tourism related development. Lahinch, for example, is one of the centres designated under the resort area initiative.

In order to meet its water and sewage needs a grant of more than £600,000 was recently approved. This year the Department of the Environment is providing more than £121 million for water and sewerage schemes around the country. This represents an increase of more than 10 per cent on the 1995 figure. Approximately 40 new schemes, with a final value of £200 million, will commence construction this year. In addition to the Lahinch scheme, two major sewerage schemes at Sixmilebridge and Killaloe, costing £2.7 million and £2 million respectively, are among the schemes scheduled to start this year.

The Department of the Environment is taking full advantage of the valuable financial assistance being provided under the Cohesion Fund, which applies to transport and environmental projects. The Department has submitted applications for 75 water and sewerage projects, costing more than £400 million, to the European Commission for approval. So far, 37 applications, involving projects worth more than £200 million, have been approved. As far as the applications related to projects in County Clare are concerned, three major projects, costing £50 million, have been prioritised and submitted to the European Commission for approval.

The Burren and north Clare water services plan is an integrated water supply and sewerage proposal which will address the urgent water supply and sewerage needs of the main population centres in the Burren region, including Ballyvaughan. The principal objective of the proposal is to protect the delicate Burren ecology system. A key element is to provide essential environmental infrastructure for the necklace of towns along the Burren periphery. Stage one of the Burren scheme, costing approximately £10 million, involves the construction of a water supply and sewerage scheme at Lisdoonvarna as well as the planning and design of future sewerage schemes at another eight locations, including Ballyvaughan.

Clare County Council has not yet developed detailed proposals for a new sewerage scheme at Ballyvaughan. It is intended, however, that stage one of the Burren scheme will provide the necessary finance for the preparation of such a proposal. The construction of the scheme would then be considered as part of stage two of the overall proposal.

The Burren proposal was submitted to the Commission in November 1994. To date there has been no decision by the Commission on the application. Pending the securing of funding, it is not possible to advance the planning of the individual elements including the Ballyvaughan scheme. I note the Deputy's concern on this matter and I will bring it to the attention of the Minister for the Environment with a view to pressing the Commission for a decision in the case.