It is important to acknowledge that the Minister is not here this evening. I have the height of respect for the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, but we need a housing Minister to deal with this issue. Irish Water is running and hiding from Ballingeary. It needs to answer to somebody and it should be the Minister in this House. I must note my frustration with that.
The outdated sewerage scheme in Ballingeary is discharging into the river below the village. Some 15 years ago, the water authority received a conviction because of that pollution. The Irish Water sewerage scheme is impeding housing in the village. As matters stand, locals struggle to get planning permission in the village but they can only be considered if they put in their own treatment plants. That is very expensive and also uses space in the village. Irish Water is charging a fee to connect to a sewer that is not working and all the while residents have to pay for their own treatment plants and maintain them in the village. You could not make it up. It is difficult for people to get planning permission in many rural areas, including around Ballingeary where Irish Water's treatment plant restricts this further in the village, both for houses and businesses. Ballingeary is also a Gaeltacht area and the language depends on people being able to live locally. Without that there is no language. Irish Water is threatening the Gaeltacht by its inaction.
Cork County Council was advancing Ballingeary wastewater plant and a number of other plants many years ago. It even prepared a planning application at the time. While the other plants in what was known as the western bundle have since been officially opened, no progress appears to have been made by Irish Water on Ballingeary. This is despite the pollution, the water pollution conviction and the housing need locally. When there is a flood in the Bun Sílinn river the sewage spills out onto the GAA grounds and the club has to do a clean-up ahead of any training session. There is no point waiting for Irish Water. It takes a “hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil” approach. It has not advanced the plant in the past number of years, during which county council reports have indicated that it has been asked to advance business cases to justify Ballingeary treatment plant. The water pollution conviction does not appear to have driven any sense of urgency in Irish Water. For months, the company has not responded to queries on plants on Ballingeary or the influence of water convictions. It was only in recent weeks when I tabled this Topical Issue matter that it has been in any way forthcoming with information. It takes a consistent “hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil” approach, while continuing to perpetrate pollution locally.
Various authorities, including the Environmental Protection Agency, are now investigating Irish Water discharges into the Bun Sílinn river below Ballingeary, which flow into the River Lee. It appears that Irish Water believes it can continue to pollute the river for years to come. That is not good enough. Irish Water needs to wake up and advance the sewerage scheme for Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh.