I appreciate the opportunity to raise the important matter of the Taughmon water scheme from Drummond Cross to Killucan. I wish to share my time with my colleague, Deputy McGrath. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Wallace to the House and I hope he brings us good news.
The saga of this scheme is one of the longest of any of those initiated and the patience of people living in Drummond, Clonickivant, Huntingtown, Lisnabin and Killucan who would benefit directly from the scheme, is wearing thin at this stage. The absence of a reliable water supply hinders the hard and earnest efforts of the local community groups to initiate developments to bring worthwhile projects to this large area.
The immediate approval by the Minister of State's Department of the contract documents which were lodged with the Department in 1984 for the extension of the Taughmon water supply scheme from its present extremity at Drummond Cross to Killucan would allow the abandonment of the present village source, which is very vulnerable in quantity terms.
The scheme encompasses 2,200 linear metres of 150 millimetre diameter main to the new booster pumping station, 4,225 linear metres of 150 millimetre diameter rising main to a new 1,250 cubic metre capacity distribution main to serve Killucan village and Raharney village. The estimated cost of the scheme at 1996 prices is £1,034,000. The scheme will also provide the headworks for infilling by group schemes for an area bounded by Drummond Cross, the Vee of the Downs, the Royal Canal, the county boundary to the east and to the north as far as Craddenstown, Killucan and back to Drummond Cross.
The scheme will also boost the low pressure supply in the Wooddown area and in effect this scheme will provide water for a population equivalent of approximately 5,000 persons. It will also allow for future development as well as permit the expansion of the rural hinterland served by this proposed scheme and of course will permit further housebuilding and possible industrial developments in the areas served. This would be very important for rural regeneration and would help to keep the population in these areas.
The scheme will also help promote the conditions necessary for the development of agriculture in the area as it is a mixed farming area and a reliable water supply is vital to agriculture.
Contract documents were sent to the Department in 1984 and it is now vital that the Minister ends the uncertainty for the many people of the area who will be served by this important scheme, and indeed Westmeath County Council. He must sanction the contract documents submitted in 1984 which can be immediately updated if necessary, in order to allow the scheme to proceed to tender. We must not have any further procrastination or delay as it will only cost slightly over £1 million and with the Exchequer awash with funding right now it is payback time for the people who will benefit from this scheme. It is the least they deserve.