Seanad Éireann debate -
Thursday, 21 May 1992

Vol. 132 No. 13

Adjournment Matter. - Williamstown (County Galway) Sewerage Scheme.

Mr. Hussey

I regret having to delay the Minister for Finance after his long gruelling day on the Finance Bill. I am happy that it is the Minister for Finance who is here tonight to hear my plea because I have already discussed this with three successive Ministers for the Environment. As we all know, it is the Minister for Finance who makes the allocation to the Minister for the Environment so perhaps tonight I will get a better result from the Minister for Finance.

I raise this matter to highlight the importance and urgency of providing a swereage scheme at Williamstown, County Galway. It must be nearly 50 years since the idea was mooted. Down the years many efforts have been made to get the scheme off the ground. There were many reasons for the delay. Let me say, right away, that the delay has not always been the fault of the county council or the Department of the Environment. There were problems in acquiring land but thankfully this problem has now been resolved and the consultants have finalised their reports. Those will be lodged with the Department in the very near future. Provision has been made in the plans for a small extension to the original scheme. That has all been finalised now. I ask the Minister to give me a firm commitment that the money will be provided for this scheme to allow it to start.

All I am looking for is a sum of roughly £500,000 which is not a great deal in the context of the overall allocation to the Department of the Environment.

The situation is so bad that in summer time the raw sewage runs out onto the streets. As well as being unsightly it is a serious health hazard. Indeed, the stench in warm weather is unbearable. This happens because the septic tanks which service local households are built on non-porus ground as a result of which they fill up and oveflow very quickly. This has been a recurring problem over the years and the residents have been very patient but their patience is running out. The local primary school which caters for all the children of the parish has had very serious problems because of their septic tanks overflowing. This should not be allowed continue. The town cannot develop to any great extent unless it has the proper infrastructure.

One of the first things that should be provided is a good sewerage scheme so that young people in the parish can build houses in their own local town. I ask the Minister to give very sympathetic consideration to their case and allow them to proceed. Now that the plans for this scheme have been prepared and the consultants were ready to submit their report to the Department, the money should be sanctioned as soon as possible to allow the scheme go ahead.

Minister for Finance (Mr. B. Ahern)

I thank Senator Hussey for raising this important matter. I know it is late in the evening but the Senator has waited patiently for several hours so this could be aired in the House.

A total of £72.5 million has been made available by the State to fund the water and sanitary services programme in the current year. On 19 March, the Minister allocated some £63.4 million to local authorities to fund the existing construction programme and this will ensure that construction work on schemes will be maintained at a high level in 1992. This level of allocation demonstrates the Government's commitment to maintain progress in the development and implementation of this important programme.

Some £26 million has been allocated towards new and improved water supply schemes. This is in line with the objectives of the environment action programme which specified the need for investment in water supply schemes to ensure that the stringent standards for drinking water set by EC directives are fully and consistently met.

More than £37 million has been allocated to providing modern sewerage collection and treatment systems throughout the country. This high level of investment is directed mainly at the elimination of pollution at both inland and coastal locations. It will allow for the development of our natural resources for tourism, recreational and amenity purposes.

Since 1989, over £277 million has been provided by the Exchequer towards the overall water and sanitary services programme. During this period local authorities in Galway received their fair share of this provision, with allocations totalling over £17.8 million.

I understand that there is no existing public sewerage scheme in Williamstown and premises are served by septic tanks. Senator Hussey has outlined the difficulties involved. These arrangements are not effective due to the poor percolation qualities of the soil in the area. This creates a nuisance especially at times of heavy rainfall. The preliminary report for a public sewerage scheme to serve Williamstown was submitted to the Department by Galway County Council in May 1986 and was approved in March 1987. This allowed Galway County Council prepare contract documents for a scheme that would serve 51 houses and provide secondary treatment. This scheme was designed to eliminate the problems associated with the use of septic tanks and to allow for effluent to be treated to a very high standard before discharge to a local watercourse.

Galway County Council recently submitted proposals to the Department seeking approval to extend the scope and capacity of the approved scheme. They have been requested to submit further documentation in order to allow the matter to be further evaluated. The council's revised proposals will, of course, be given detailed consideration when they are received.

I assure Senator Hussey that the contents of his statement will be brought to the attention of the Minister for the Environment in the morning. Both he and I will discuss the matter. I thank the Senator for raising the issue. I will convey the Senator's request, on behalf of the people of Williamstown, to the Minister.

The Seanad adjourned at 11.10 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Friday, 22 May 1992.