Thank you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, and the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise the issue of stage two of the Bailieborough regional water supply scheme because I am seriously concerned at the delay in its progress.
This scheme will serve Virginia, County Cavan, and the rural area between Bailieborough, County Cavan and Virginia. In early February 1995, Cavan County Council submitted the contract documents and drawings, with the certificate of planning, to the Minister for his approval. In the meantime, I have raised this matter with the Minister in written representations and by way of parliamentary questions on a number of occasions. I asked the Minister to approve the contract documents and allow the scheme to proceed to the next stage. Unfortunately, the response has been practically the same from July 1995 to my most recent parliamentary question. The Minister invariably states that the contract documents have been submitted to his Depart-1995 to my most recent parliamentary question. The Minister invariably states that the contract documents have been submitted to his Department but, in view of the high level of commitments under the water and sewerage programmes, he cannot say when it may be possible to approve those contract documents.
Serious problems exist in Virginia, where the public water scheme is totally inadequate and insufficient to meet the needs of the area from a domestic, business, agricultural or tourism point of view. Virginia is a fast growing town and the present inadequate water supply will hinder further development in that town and its environs. For some time, the inadequacy of the present water scheme has created severe problems for local householders, hoteliers, publicans, local industry and people running business premises.
There are also difficulties for many people living in the rural area between Bailieborough and Virginia who wish to avail, primarily through group schemes, of the second stage of the regional water supply scheme, and there is a demand for such connections from both householders and farmers. The people living in that rural area also deserve an adequate water supply.
After a long struggle, the construction of a new sewerage scheme in Virginia has commenced and it would be appropriate, from several points of view, to have the water supply scheme under way at the same time.
Access to Dublin from Virginia has been made easier in recent years by the construction of the Clonee by-pass. Many people commute to work daily from Virginia to Dublin as it is a very attractive area in which to live. The town has many fine facilities and the area is richly endowed with beautiful scenery, waterways and many other natural resources. Obviously, there are further opportunities for this town to grow, but the lack of a proper water supply will hinder development in the short term.
A number of factories in the locality provide valuable employment and they should be able to avail of a proper public water supply, which is not available at present. The lack of an adequate public water supply causes particular difficulties for one manufacturing firm in the town which provides valuable employment for more than 80 people.
I appeal to the Minister to have the contract documents approved without further delay and the tender process commenced as a matter of urgency. Understandably, the people of Virginia, its catchment area and the people living in that large rural area between Bailieborough and Virginia are demanding progress on this scheme. They realise the importance of the construction of this scheme in the prevention of any hindrance to the further development of agriculture, industry and tourism in that general area and the need to provide people with a proper water supply for domestic purposes.
I trust the Minister will be able to respond positively to this justified case which I have made in this House on numerous occasions by way of parliamentary question and through written representations to the Minister.
