Topical Issue Debate

Services for People with Disabilities

Deputy Thomas Pringle

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this issue for discussion today. As the House is aware, news came through late last night that the residential service provided by Wisdom Services at Cregg House in Sligo was to be withdrawn. That was devastating news for the many families who have a member in residence there. There are more than 214 residents at Cregg House. The service covers the whole north west, including Sligo, Leitrim, west Cavan and south Donegal. Many families from Donegal have benefited from the services at Cregg House over the years. Their loved ones have been well looked after, and I know from talking to these families that they are extremely happy with the level of service that has been provided over the years. There have never been any problems with access or visiting. This news is devastating for the families and brings unnecessary uncertainty to them and to the residents of Cregg House, many of whom will be greatly affected by the turmoil and the prospect of having to move to completely new surroundings. This will take a long time and will need to be handled carefully by the health services.

Since 2005, Cregg House has had greater reductions in support than equivalent services across the country. This information is gleaned from the HSE's own annual report. It is important to remember this in the context of today's debate.

This morning in the House, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, stated that the Cregg House Wisdom Services had voluntarily withdrawn its service. That is, at best, disingenuous. I know from discussions with Wisdom Services and with the families that they have tried to find a way to continue. The real reason the service is being withdrawn at Cregg House is that, in 2012, it suffered a €1.3 million reduction in its budget from the HSE. Since 2008, there has been a total reduction of almost €4 million in funding to this vital service. It is important to put that €1.3 million reduction in context. The Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Joe Costello, spent €1.3 million in the last year on consultancy services in his Department. This was for 65 reports, many of which will be unread and unused and will gather dust on shelves in the Department. This is the very same amount of money that would have ensured the continuation of services at Cregg House.

The statement last night from Wisdom Services said that the HSE would continue to provide the services. I have no faith that this is the case. Indeed, the statement from Wisdom Services reads: "We sincerely hope that the HSE can in the future secure the funding required to provide people with disabilities in this area with modern accommodation." That is the crux of the issue. How will the HSE provide for the residents of Cregg House in the context of reducing budgets, a recruitment embargo and the withdrawal of services across the board in the north west and around the country? I demand that the HSE and the Government provide the funding for Wisdom Services and make up the amount of the backlog, because that is how the service can be continued. In this way, families can be sure their loved ones will receive the care and attention they rightly deserve.

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Kathleen Lynch)

I thank Deputy Pringle for raising this matter. I am pleased to take this opportunity to outline the current position of Wisdom Services. As the Deputy is aware, Wisdom Services is a voluntary body operated by the Daughters of Wisdom which provides services for people with disabilities in the north-west region. It supports more than 200 service users, with 111 on campus, 75 in the community and 20 day attendees. I was disappointed to learn that the Daughters of Wisdom, who operate Wisdom Services, have advised the HSE that they intend to withdraw from the provision of services on behalf of the HSE. The HSE has been working with Wisdom Services for some time to address its financial concerns and identify opportunities for efficiencies and savings through potential new combinations of service delivery in the north west. Wisdom Services has a cost containment plan for 2012, which has had some success, but despite detailed engagement by the HSE with its management, I regret that Wisdom Services has now decided to withdraw from service provision. I would like to reassure the families of the children and adults with disabilities that their current level of service will continue to be provided. I am requesting the HSE to work with Wisdom Services to ensure continuity of service for all clients while a transition process is being put in place. I understand that Wisdom Services has written to families of service users and to staff to reassure them of its co-operation in this process. I thank Wisdom Services for its dedication and commitment to providing services to children and adults in the north west since 1955.

The HSE will now commence a detailed assessment of all aspects of Wisdom Service operations in order to arrive at a mutually agreed resolution on the continuation of services to its clients and, in particular, to ensure that service users will continue to receive the care and support they require. I understand that early discussions are planned with the management of the service. Wisdom Services was allocated €15.5 million by the HSE in 2012 and has been funded consistently over the years. In addition, it was the beneficiary of 38% of all intellectual disability development moneys in this HSE area in the period 2006 to 2011, as well as additional capital funding. This compares favourably with the percentage of clients with intellectual disabilities from the area covered by its services. Accordingly, I do not accept that this service has been under-funded, allowing for the necessary reductions that have been applied evenly to all service providers in the last two to three years.

I thank Wisdom Services for its work in providing services to children and adults over the years, and I urge all involved to work closely to ensure that the needs of service users and their families are given priority. Even when I was in opposition I thought it reprehensible to frighten the families of people who relied on particular services. This service will continue to be provided to the people who rely on it. The service provider has done a good job over the years and we owe a debt of gratitude to the voluntary, private and religious service providers which stepped in when the State was reluctant to get involved. The State is now more involved and while the services that are provided in the future will differ in some respects, in this instance the service on which people have come to depend will continue.

Deputy Thomas Pringle

I reject the Minister of State's contention that I am trying to frighten service users and their families. When I met family members today after they received the letter from Wisdom Services, they expressed concern for what the future holds. When I look around the country and see how the HSE has been withdrawing services and cutting home care packages, I realise they are right to be worried. I do not believe the HSE will be able to sustain the level of service these families have enjoyed. It needs to make it clear to the families what type of service they can expect because they may face the prospect of moving their loved ones to alternative residential premises. Will the HSE take over Cregg House in order to maintain the service there?

The family of a son who entered hospital recently had to care for him because of staffing issues. The hospital could not provide the care and attention this family's loved one required. Wisdom Services provided that level of service and it was disingenuous of the Minister for Education and Skills and the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, to imply that Wisdom Services is voluntarily withdrawing. If the funding had not been cut by €1.3 million this year, it would not be in this situation and the service would not be under threat. I hope the HSE will at least make contact with the families to reassure them the service they expect will continue. I ask the Minister of State to confirm whether the HSE will continue to provide the services in Cregg House.

Deputy Kathleen Lynch

I presume the families and individuals who have particular concern about this matter are following the debate. There was nothing disingenuous in the Minister's reply this morning. People decide to discontinue providing services for all sorts of reasons and this is not the first year in which the Daughters of Wisdom and Cregg House have encountered difficulties in funding. Negotiations have been ongoing over the service and I understand the families were extremely happy with the service provided. It is to its credit that Wisdom Services is seeking to ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible. I assure families that day services, residential accommodation and respite care will continue to be provided without gaps.

The trying times in which we live demand a little bit more from all of us. Everybody is feeling that burden but we need to be especially conscious of the people to whom we deliver services, including at Cregg House.

I remind the Deputy that the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Costello, has only been in his current office for a portion of a year. I think he deserves an apology.

Deputy Thomas Pringle

His Department spent the money.

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

Deputy Olivia Mitchell

Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan offers her apologies because she cannot be with us. I am grateful for the opportunity to raise this issue on behalf of the Oireachtas all-party interest group on sexual and reproductive health and rights. The Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Costello, will be aware that, with the Rio+20 conference and the target date for realisation of the millennium development goals imminent, Ireland along with its international development partners will be evaluating the progress achieved, restating and renewing their commitments to achieving the unmet goals, setting new targets and, most important, establishing priorities. The all-party interest group is concerned to ensure Ireland prioritises gender issues and, specifically, sexual and reproductive health and rights in its input into these decisions, particularly while it exerts its influence while holding the EU Presidency.

Family planning is particularly important in this regard because it underpins the achievement of all the millennium development goals. The ability of women in poor countries to decide when to start having children and how to space them improves maternal and infant mortality, reduces miscarriages and abortions, particularly unsafe abortions which are unfortunately most prevalent in poorer countries, and impacts on the material well-being of the entire population because fewer children mean better fed and educated children.

In renewing the sustainable development targets in the Rio+20 conference, it is crucial that we do not ignore population issues. Sheer numbers are at least as damaging to the planet as excessive consumption and waste in rich countries. I ask our delegation to bring this message to the table in Rio.

I also wish to raise the issue of women's family planning needs in conflict situations. Women are particularly vulnerable where there is war, natural disaster or mass migration. I welcome the Minister of State's announcement that funds will be transferred from the Ghana depot to the starving people in west Africa. Normally in these situations the priority is food, shelter and medical supplies, while family planning and contraceptives are forgotten. However, it is precisely in situations where law and order breaks down that the latter are needed. If we are to prioritise maternal health, all aspects of aid must be proofed for its impact on this area.

Deputy Anne Ferris

Next year we will hold the Presidency of the EU, which gives the Government a great opportunity to put sexual and reproductive health and rights at the forefront of the UN development agenda. The framework for the millennium development goals expires in 2015 and it is vital these rights are prioritised for the next framework. I do not think the link between sexual and reproductive rights and poverty alleviation is being made sufficiently clear and the neglect of this issue is to the detriment of the millennium development goals. This is not a controversial issue, although some may attempt to undermine it by claiming otherwise.

Among these rights are the right to information on these matters and the right to gender equality. Access to adequate health facilities is also required. It is clear that women who gain access to greater educational and economic choice have a significantly greater chance of breaking intergenerational cycles of poverty.

Ill-health from causes related to sexuality and reproduction remains a major cause of preventable death, disability and suffering among women, particularly in low and middle income countries.

A briefing report from the WHO on progress in this area stated that the decline in the maternal mortality ratio has been slow and remains uneven. Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, east Asia, north Africa, southeast Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean have shown no incline and none of them have reached the target of 5.5% required to achieve the millennium development goal target.

Some 8 million of the estimated 210 million women who become pregnant each year experience life-threatening complications. Every year 536 women die during pregnancy and childbirth. Some 99% of these deaths occur in developing countries, making maternal mortality the health statistic with the greatest disparity between developed and developing countries. Ensuring universal access to skilled attendants at childbirth, emergency obstetric care, postpartum care, preventing unsafe abortions and widening contraceptive choices are some of the interventions shown to reduce maternal morbidity. I urge the Government to take the opportunity presented by the EU Presidency to ensure these items are firmly on the agenda.

Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Deputy Joe Costello)

I thank Deputies Mitchell and Anne Ferris for raising this matter. It is accepted internationally, and the Government agrees, that the provision of reproductive health services to women is essential in tackling the continuing high rates of maternal mortality in the developing world. These include pre-natal and postnatal care, emergency obstetric services and access to family planning services. The position Ireland takes in international policy discussions on sexual and reproductive health is based on a firm commitment to the programme of action agreed at the international conference on population and development, ICPD, in Cairo 1994. The ICPD set out a number of clear principles of reproductive health. These include the importance of gender equality and the empowerment of women in reducing poverty and vulnerability, the right of all women to the information and means to make autonomous decisions about their fertility, and the link between women's control over their fertility and the wider empowerment of women in the economic, social and political life.

The agreement on the ICPD programme of action was the first time the international community committed to the goal of universal access to reproductive health care by 2015, a target later integrated into the millennium development goals, MDG. The fifth MDG is to improve maternal health. Ireland is fully committed to helping to achieve the goal. Through our aid programme, we provide funding for programmes that aim to improve maternal health, reduce maternal mortality and provide family planning and reproductive health services to women in the developing world. Unfortunately, less progress has been made on the targets set out under the fifth MDG than on any other development targets. For instance, there is still a massive unmet need for family planning globally, especially in the poorest countries and communities. We need broad international consensus on sexual and reproductive health issues if serious progress is to be made on meeting these targets.

Ireland's main partners for our support of reproductive health and maternal health programmes include the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, and Irish and international NGOs. Ireland has provided almost €30 million in funding to UNFPA since 2005. We also support reproductive and maternal health programmes as integral elements in our assistance in many of Irish Aid's priority countries, including Ethiopia and Mozambique.

One of Ireland's development priorities for our Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2013 will be agreeing a common EU position for UN General Assembly high level meeting in September 2013 on the millennium development goals and developing a position on the framework for international development after 2015, the target date for the MDGs. Ireland's consistent position has been to draw particular attention to the targets and the countries where least progress has been made, notably in sub-Saharan Africa. We will continue to emphasise the need for a renewed commitment to reducing maternal mortality and to achieving universal access to reproductive health care.

The European Commission has started the process for preparing a Commission communication on the MDG review and post-2015 development framework and will formally launch a public consultation in the next few weeks. The consultation will last some 12 weeks. We expect the Commission communication will be available in early 2013. Ireland will work closely with the Commission throughout the process and we look forward to having Council conclusions adopted by the Foreign Affairs Council on this important issue during Ireland's Presidency.

Deputy Olivia Mitchell

I am pleased this issue will be to the fore in our Presidency. The good news is that, since 1994, there has been a 50% drop in maternal mortality in the developing world. There are still unmet goals and 1,000 women a day die in childbirth, which is unacceptable. Over 200 million women have no access to family planning. This is partly because AIDS resulted in diverting funds away from family planning and towards solving AIDS. The inverse relationship between maternal mortality and the availability of contraception means it is essential that funds are redirected to family planning. It is more than just a case of funding - political will is at least as important from the donor and recipient countries. I recognise the Minister of State has that political will. I ask the Minister of State to use every opportunity during the Presidency and in his interaction with recipient countries to ensure they prioritise policies and practices that put maternal health to the fore and prioritise millennium development goals Nos. 4 and 5.

Deputy Anne Ferris

I thank the Minister of State for his positive report and I am heartened to hear the Government is committed to having this at the forefront during the European Presidency. Less progress has been made on the targets set in the fifth millennium development goals than in any other development issue. This must be grasped. As Deputy Mitchell said, there must be cross-party political support and political will. We must show ourselves to be leaders and it is not good enough that the target has been left behind. Women are dying everyday in less developed countries and something must be done. I welcome the report of the Minister of State. Deputies Mitchell and Maureen O'Sullivan and I will be keeping an eye on matters.

Deputy Joe Costello

I thank the Deputies for their remarks. These are issues of life and death for mothers and children. Maternal, child care and gender issues have always been central to the Irish Aid programme and will continue to be so while I am Minister of State. We have a key role in preparing for the post-2015 millennium development goals. The review will start during our Presidency and the first summit meeting will take place in New York in September 2015. We are charged with developing a common European Union negotiating position. It will be done during our Presidency and agreed at the Council meetings during the Presidency. This will be the basis for the negotiations to begin in September 2013, which will continue until September 2015. The post-millennium development goals will be the second stage. We are in a position to play a key role in that respect and we note that the fifth millennium development goal, concerning reproductive health and maternal child care, is the one that has been least developed to a successful degree. It is an area to which we will pay particular attention.

Army Barracks

Deputy Robert Troy

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this important item. I and my colleagues in Fianna Fáil support the retention of the 4th Western Brigade and its headquarters status in Custume Barracks, Athlone. Reforms of the Defence Forces should not be done in isolation or on a piecemeal basis. Any reforms should be carried out within the framework of the Green Paper, whereby all interested parties would be consulted.

I accept there is no threat to close Custume Barracks and that the only people using this line are Government members who are doing so as a smoke-screen to cover up the real issue at hand. The decision to reduce the number of brigades from three to two was that of the Minister for Defence, Deputy Shatter. I am disappointed he did not have the courtesy to attend this debate. It was he who wrote to the chief of the Defence Forces in December seeking a report on the reduction. He has received this report and I believe an announcement is imminent.

Is the 4th Western Brigade for the chop according to the report? If so, what will be the strength of the remaining units? Can the Minister of State name the units that will remain in Custume Barracks, Athlone? Can he confirm that the 600 personnel currently linked to the Western Brigade in Athlone could be relocated? Does he realise the considerable economic impact this would have not only on the town of Athlone but also on the much wider midlands area? The local chamber of commerce has predicted an economic loss in the region of €24 million annually.

Does the Minister of State realise just how severely the 4th Western Brigade has been hit, with barracks closing in Mullingar, Longford, Cavan and Lifford, to name but a few? Does he not agree that the central location of Athlone is ideal for headquarters of any future brigade?

Possibly the most important issue concerns the Army personnel and their families. I refer to the men and women who have dedicated their lives to service to the town, region and country. The manner in which the Government is treating them is nothing short of appalling and scandalous. There is considerable anxiety and worry and nothing is being done by the Government to alleviate the fear.

I ask the Minister of State to defer any decision and work within the framework of the Green Paper, which is included in the programme for Government. He should make a commitment on the floor of this House that the Minister for Defence and the Taoiseach will meet a delegation from those who attended the recently held public meeting, a selection of Oireachtas Members and representatives from Athlone Town Council, not just to engage in some cosmetic exercise but to engage in a meaningful manner to ensure the future of Custume Barracks and the headquarters status of the 4th Western Brigade.

Deputy James Bannon

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me time to discuss this very important matter, namely, the need for the Minister for Defence, in light of the ongoing scare-mongering regarding the downgrading of Custume Barracks, Athlone, and the rumours relating to the 4th Western Brigade, to confirm his statement that there will be no downgrading of the barracks or job losses in Athlone. I acknowledge the considerable contribution and effort of my constituency colleague Deputy Nicky McFadden to save the facility in Athlone. She raised this at the parliamentary party meeting and at every available opportunity, not only this year but also over the past four or five years. She has made a considerable contribution towards obtaining in the region of €6 million to upgrade services in Athlone over the past four or five years.

It is essential to put to rest the very calculated political rabble-rousing that is seeking to cause fear and anger in the area, which has already shouldered more than its fair share of economic fallout. My primary consideration at all times is to ensure that Custume Barracks will continue to operate in its present capacity. My colleague and I will fight any proposal to close or downgrade the barracks, or carry out any threat against the 4th Western Brigade. They are vital to the economic and social profile of Athlone and must be retained. The barracks has been a feature of Athlone life since 1697.

I welcome the opportunity to share time with my constituency colleague Deputy Troy. I hope we are united in this matter for the good of our constituents, and not for personal gain for a political party. I am here to address the growing consensus in County Westmeath that the future of Custume Barracks and the 4th Western Brigade are at risk. However, I am determined to put what are merely rumours to rest. With politically motivated scaremongering raising fear and anger in an area already hard-hit by the economic downturn and credence being provided to those only too willing to believe there is no smoke without fire, I am anxious that assurance be given by the Minister of State, on behalf of the Minister for Defence, that Custume Barracks will be upgraded, not downgraded. I want him to confirm that there will be no job losses in Athlone.

In my dealings with the Minister, I have found him to be honest and fair at all times. His door is open to the Deputies from my constituency with regard to the well-being of the Defence Forces and the people living within the communities in which Defence Forces personnel are based. His record stands in regard to the open way in which he dealt with and facilitated the purchase of Connolly Barracks, Longford, by the local authority for the use of the people.

In the interest of our constituents in Athlone, I ask Deputy Troy to support Deputy McFadden and me in maintaining a calm, rational approach to the issue, which has been stirred up by the extreme elements through the use of false facts etc. The Minister has already given assurance. We want the rumours put to rest this evening. I hope he will reinforce his position and offer us reassurance.

Minister of State at the Department of Defence (Deputy Paul Kehoe)

I thank Deputies Bannon and Troy for raising this issue. The Minister, Deputy Shatter, regrets that he is unable to address this topical issue as he is officiating at a citizenship ceremony this afternoon in the Convention Centre Dublin. I believe the Deputies will accept his apologies.

As the Deputies are aware, arising from the Government's comprehensive review of expenditure, the strength ceiling of the Permanent Defence Force, PDF, was reduced to 9,500 personnel. In response to this reduced strength ceiling, the Minister initiated a major reorganisation of the Defence Forces, both permanent and reserve. This reorganisation will encompass a reduction in the number of Army brigades from the current three to two.

A three-brigade structure was originally introduced during the 1990s when the strength ceiling of the PDF was revised to approximately 11,500 personnel. It was retained when the strength ceiling of the PDF was reduced to 10,500 as part of the White Paper on Defence, 2000. However, it is no longer viable to retain a three-brigade structure within a revised PDF strength ceiling of 9,500 personnel.

The priority is on maintaining the operational effectiveness of the Permanent Defence Force to the greatest extent possible, within the reduced strength ceiling. This will be achieved through rationalising administrative and support functions and rebalancing force elements. The reorganisation builds upon and complements the efficiencies arising from recent barracks closures and, as the Minister has repeatedly stated, no further barracks closures are required. There will, of course, be movement of functions and personnel within and between barracks, as provided for in the Croke Park agreement.

The Secretary General of the Department of Defence and the Chief of Staff are identifying approaches to reducing the number of Army brigades from the current three to two. The Minister has received an agreed interim report from the Secretary General and the Chief of Staff and it has been his stated preference to await the submission of final proposals before making any announcements. Unfortunately, there is an ongoing campaign of misleading speculation about Custume Barracks, Athlone, raising unnecessary concerns locally about the barracks and going so far as to suggest that the removal of the brigade headquarters would result in some 600 personnel being withdrawn from the barracks. Reform is challenging in itself, particularly for the personnel directly affected, and this negative speculation is unhelpful.

To counter this negative campaign and support the completion of the preparatory work, the Minister finds it necessary to clarify the position with regard to Custume Barracks. I can confirm that the brigade headquarters for the two new brigades will be located in Cork and Dublin. However, I can also confirm that within an overall strength of 9,500 the numbers serving in Custume Barracks will be of the order of 1,000 personnel.

When the Government came in to office in March 2011, there were approximately 900 personnel in Custume Barracks and there are currently approximately 1,050 personnel in the barracks. Consequently, the new arrangements with regard to the brigade will have no dramatic impact on the numbers in Custume Barracks. The Minister is disappointed at the necessity to announce decisions on the re-organisation before being in a position to outline the final outcome in its totality.

Work is ongoing to finalise proposals on the remainder of the re-organisation. The Minister will be in a position to address questions of detail on completion of this work. The representative associations will be fully consulted on all matters that fall within the scope of representation when this work is complete.

Deputy Nicky McFadden

That is not good.

Deputy Paul Kehoe

Work is also ongoing with regard to recommendations for the Reserve Defence Force, which must dovetail with the recommendations of the ongoing value for money review.

The re-organisation affirms the Government's intention that the Defence Forces retain the capacity to fulfil all of its assigned roles to the greatest extent possible. The Minister looks forward to working closely with the Chief of Staff and the Secretary General in implementing the re-organisation and the broader reform agenda.

Deputy Robert Troy

The Minister of State's reply is extremely disappointing, to say the least. I suppose he drew the short straw because he has had to give such devastating news to the House. There are 1,400 plus soldiers attached to Custume Barracks in Athlone, when one includes personnel serving overseas, yet the ceiling will be 1,000 according to the Minister of State. A calculator is not required to work out that there will be 400 fewer soldiers initially. It is the first time in the history of the State that there will not be a Commander-General there. A minimum of 400 soldiers will be moving from Athlone, which will result in a loss of €20 million to the local economy.

The Green Paper review is a total sham. The Government is reforming the Defence Forces in isolation and on a piecemeal basis. The review, which was part of the programme for Government, is a sham. What has this Government got against Westmeath? It closed Columb Barracks in Mullingar and is now downgrading Custume Barracks in Athlone. The Minister of State said the numbers went up in Athlone in the past 12 months, but that happened because barracks were closed in Mullingar and Cavan. What has the Government got against Westmeath?

As part of its consultation process, the Government should confirm that the west will be losing the Western Brigade headquarter status, which is in the Taoiseach's own area. What does the Taoiseach have to say about that?

Acting Chairman (Deputy Jack Wall)

The Deputy must conclude. I call Deputy Bannon.

Deputy Robert Troy

Will the Minister for Defence meet with interested parties? It is disgraceful if he will not do so.

Acting Chairman (Deputy Jack Wall)

Deputy Troy should not overrun like that.

Deputy James Bannon

This is a black day for the midlands, including Athlone, coming on top of the closure of barracks in Longford, Cavan and Athlone. I am disappointed that the 4th Western Brigade is now to be taken out of the midlands area. Dublin is not the geographical heart of this country. It is time for the "Dublin is best" mentality to be stopped by the Government. I want to see it stopped because the midlands has suffered more than its fair share from the economic fallout.

Fianna Fáil closed Longford Barracks and in its Green Paper it had plans to close Mullingar barracks as well.

Deputy Robert Troy

You closed it.

Deputy James Bannon

I am disappointed that all Army services in the midlands have been attacked. I appeal to the Minister of State to ask the Minister for Defence to put this mater on hold until the Minister and the Taoiseach have an opportunity to meet with the chamber of commerce in Athlone and other people who are serious affected, including families, shops and businesses. This is the equivalent of taking two major industries out of the midlands. We cannot accept that, so I plead with the Minister of State to ask the Minister to act urgently on this matter. The Minister should be made aware of our concerns that we are unhappy with the decision that has been taken.

Deputy Paul Kehoe

Deputy Dara Calleary

The brigade is gone.

Deputy Robert Troy

I acknowledge that the barracks will not close but the headquarters brigade staff have gone.

Acting Chairman (Deputy Jack Wall)

Please Deputy.

Deputy Paul Kehoe

There will be in the order of 1,000 personnel in Custume Barracks when the reorganisation of the brigade structure is put into operation and the changes are finally made.

Deputy Robert Troy

One again, Dublin wins.

Water and Sewerage Schemes

Deputy Thomas P. Broughan

The greater Dublin drainage project is being directed by Fingal County Council to plan and build a new massive regional sewerage plant in north Dublin that will treat a population equivalent to 350,000 in 2020, moving up to perhaps 700,000 or more up to 2040.

Under phase 2 of the project, rural Clonshaugh, on the city boundary in Dublin north east, has been selected as one of three emerging preferred site options for this massive new sewerage plant, along with Annsbrook and Newtown Corduff near Lusk. I understand that all three project options will be considered further in detail before one emerging preferred option is decided on and a planning application is made to An Bord Pleanála.

The inclusion of Clonshaugh as one of three emerging preferred sites has rightly been described as cynical and outrageous by residents right across my constituency, including Clonshaugh, Newbury, Riverside, Carragh Park, Priorswood, Darndale, Belcamp, Belmaine, Clare Hall, Airfield, Donaghmeade, Clongriffen, the coast, Baldoyle itself and Portmarnock. It would go against all natural justice to locate this waste water treatment plant one field north of the Fingal-Dublin border rather than in the heart of Fingal county, which is the region which the plant will service.

In my submissions to phases 1 and 2 of the consultation programme on this sewage plant I argued strongly that it would be unjustifiable to select the Clonshaugh site, in particular because of the size of the proposed plant and its certain negative affects on the huge adjacent population. Disturbingly, no socioeconomic impact survey was undertaken by Jacobs Tobin of the negative impacts on the almost 25,000-30,000 people who will be living directly adjacent to or only metres away from this monstrous sewage plant, if located in Clonshaugh. There also appears to have been no comparative analysis and appropriate weighting given to the population densities at each of the original nine sites. Clearly, the high population density around Clonshaugh will be particularly negatively affected if the plant is to go ahead at that location.

Given the range of planning challenges still facing the north fringe of Dublin, of which I know the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, is well aware, including Priory Hall and the pyrite disaster, it would be catastrophic to locate this major new sewage and waste water plant in the north fringe region, which is where Clonshaugh is located. Such a decision would wreck the two local authority plans for the region, which are currently being prepared by Dublin City Council. In addition to its unique planning difficulties, the north fringe is also characterised by its unique environment. The core coastal area and highly protected amenity coastal district, the proposed outfall for this plan, would be at Baldoyle-Portmarnock, which is a polder. The possible location, therefore, proposes a significant environmental threat to the velvet strand from Portmarnock to Baldoyle Bay and on to the Malahide Estuary. This area is a European conservation area and Natura 2000 site. Placing a sewage outfall there would be an incredible breach of EU environmental policy. The proposed site location is also in line with the lower flight path of the main runway of Dublin Airport - it is barely outside of the Airport's inner safety zone - and the clear danger of gas emissions to aviation aside, locating a massive sewage plant in the middle of a district which has already been designated as part of the lands of the critical airport economic zone would severely hamper the economic development of the region. In this regard, the Minister of State will be aware of the plans for a high-tech industrial hub in this region, which could potentially facilitate up to 10,000 jobs. I learned yesterday from the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, that exactly that number of people in the adjoining parishes are unemployed, a figure which is increasing daily. It would be contemptible to jeopardise these long-standing plans by locating a massive regional sewage plant at the location.

Local businesses such as the successful Bewley's Dublin Airport Hotel will be less than 500 metres from the Clonshaugh site. Mr. Kieran O'Donovan, manager of that hotel, has already spoken publicly of the great damage this project could do to its business. It would devastate a number of long-standing rural and new urban communities and recreational facilities from Clonshaugh-Belcamp eastwards to Portmarnock and destroy long-standing Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council plans for the region in terms of a diversion of the Malahide Road.

The feeling in my constituency is that this is being dumped on the edge of a vulnerable lower income residential district despite there being more appropriate locations, from a service and environmental point of view, in the heart of Fingal county.

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Jan O’Sullivan)

I am taking this topical issue debate on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan. I thank Deputy Broughan for the opportunity to outline the position on this matter.

In March 2011, Fingal County Council appointed consultants to prepare a preliminary report and environmental impact assessment for the greater Dublin regional drainage project-north Dublin treatment plant and orbital sewer. The identification of potential locations for the regional waste water treatment plant is an important step in this process. In October 2011, as part of phase 1, alternative sites assessment and route selection report, Fingal County Council identified nine potential land parcels in the northern part of the greater Dublin area within which a proposed regional waste water treatment plant could potentially be located, along with a marine outfall and an orbital drainage system.

The council carried out an eight week non-statutory public consultation seeking views on the proposals and the land parcels. These nine land parcels were then assessed as potential locations in which to site the regional waste water treatment plant. The routes for the orbital drainage system and the marine outfall pipe locations were also assessed. Site specific information, more indepth desktop research, consultations and detailed site surveys, as well as feedback from the public were used to assist in identifying the locations with the least impact under 15 criteria. Of these nine land parcels, three sites have now been identified by the council as emerging preferred site options in the phase 2 alternative sites assessment and route selection report. A further eight week non-statutory public consultation period commenced on Monday, 14 May 2012, and runs until 6 July 2012. As part of this process, four open days are being arranged by the council where the public can meet with the project team to discuss the report. I note Deputy Broughan has made submissions in this regard.

When the preferred site is identified the council will prepare detailed plans and complete an environmental impact statement. This EIS, together with a planning application under the Planning and Development Strategic Infrastructure Act 2006, will be submitted to An Bord Pleanála, which will carry out its own statutory public consultation on the project. The Minister's main role in water services projects is to provide capital funding for the work through the Department's water services investment programme. He may in the future have a statutory role should there be a requirement for a foreshore licence for the project. Beyond the inclusion of the project in the investment programme for planning and funding of the planning stage, the Minister has not commented on these proposals as they developed as this might prejudice his statutory role and-or the role of An Bord Pleanála. It is a matter for Fingal County Council to advance the planning of the project.

I have noted the points made by Deputy Broughan.

Deputy Thomas P. Broughan

I have a few further questions for the Minister of State in regard to this proposal. If she does not have the answers to hand, I would appreciate if she could send them to me.

In my view, the Jacobs Tobin report is defective, in terms of its costings of these sites. I met with the engineers in question, who had done no homework or cost benefit analysis of any kind of the sites, including the Lusk and Clonshaugh sites. I would like to know why they did not do so. Surely, that is the first basic requirement following engineering.

During my almost 20 years as a Member of this House I have on numerous occasions raised profound issues which affect the communities that will be only a few meters from this proposed plant. They have overcome many challenges over the past two decades. It is egregious that this service is to be located cheek by jowl with these communities. Would the Minister of State agree that the outfall constraints for the Clonshaugh sites are inappropriate given the Portmarnock-Baldoyle area is a European conversation area?

My colleague, Deputy Brendan Ryan, in previous discussions on this issue in the House put forward the valuable proposal that the locating of up to seven different sites across the county, with appropriate outfall, would be better than one large site so that the burden of the plant could be shared. In recent weeks, there has been a major odour problem at the Swords plant, on which it was not possible to take action for two weeks owing to the fact that the equipment required had to be brought in from the UK. Is this not another approach that could have been, and could still be, tried?

It is madness to locate this plant on the main flight path of Dublin Airport. Aeroplanes will be required to fly directly over it. That this site is being considered is, in my view, madness. There was a debate in the House last night on planning issues. I understand the Government is to introduce further planning legislation. All of those developers who made millions, whom we are now supporting through NAMA, made no provision whatsoever for water or sewage plants in major new urban communities. They took, or lost as the case may be, all the profits. It is important action is taken to ensure this does not happen again.

Deputy Jan O’Sullivan

I note the Deputy's serious concerns on this issue and that he has made submissions on it. The specific issues of conservation and aviation will be taken into account. The Deputy will be aware that a consultation process is currently under way. There will be further consultation processes in the context of an environmental impact assessment. Obviously whatever site is chosen will require planning permission. A foreshore licence may also be required. Therefore, a series of statutory consultations is to come. I know the Deputy's concern at present is with regard to which of the sites will be chosen. With regard to the first issue the Deputy raised, which was on costs, I understand the overall cost of the treatment plant, the outfall and the orbital sewer is not expected to exceed €500 million. This is the estimated costing I have. This is a major decision to be made and I note the Deputy's concerns. I will convey them to the Minister, Deputy Hogan. As I stated, he has not commented because there are procedures and various stages in the process which have yet to come. I thank the Deputy for raising the issue and for his serious concerns.

Dáil Éireann debate - Thursday, 14 Jun 2012