I thank you, a Chathaoirligh, for allowing me to raise this matter on the Adjournment this evening in relation to the provision of a modern sewerage scheme, distribution mains and treatment works for the town of Castlerea, County Roscommon. Castlerea is a town of approximately 2,500 to 3,000 people and it has a sewage disposal system which was installed in the early part of the 20th century, but which today is totally antiquated. It discharges its outfall into the River Suck, which is about 70 miles long and one of the main tributaries of what we call the lower River Shannon. The outfall of Castlerea sewage is a major source of pollution which, under the standards laid down by the Environmental Protection Agency and European Union regulations on clean water, etc, is no longer acceptable.
It is approximately nine years since the Department of the Environment and Local Government accepted that the sewerage scheme at Castlerea and in the adjoining towns of Ballaghaderreen, Boyle and Roscommon town had to be upgraded. In 1996-97, funding for new sewerage schemes was provided for Ballaghaderreen, Boyle, Roscommon town and Monskland, near Athlone. The final stages of approval for a new treatment works for the town of Castlerea was to be approved at that time but since 1997 there has been no move in relation to it.
There are two stages to the scheme in Castlerea. Stage 1 deals with the treatment works which are badly needed because of its outfall and the level of pollution it releases into one of the major rivers in the country, which in turn has implications for the lower Shannon region, Lough Derg in particular, and those areas below Athlone. Stage 2 deals with a new distribution network in the streets of Castlerea with extensions towards new housing developments in the town and replacing the old distribution mains system, some of which is early 20th century and no longer functioning properly.
The town of Castlerea has not enjoyed much of what we call Celtic tiger boom. Nevertheless, it has one of the country's main prisons with approximately 150 people detained there. The staff bring the total number of people who use the institution to 200. There are also general businesses and households. While Castlerea has not expanded greatly, like many other towns of its size with fewer than 3,000 people, it has experienced a good deal of expansion in terms of housing in recent years because it is in a tax designated area.
It is urgent that stages 1 and 2 of the scheme are approved now. Two years ago an announcement was made by a Government representative, who still represents the county, that he had got an undertaking from the Department that the scheme would be included in the 2002 sanitary services programme. The scheme draws down perhaps up to 70% of its funding from the European Regional Development Fund. That is important and makes it rather easy for the Department to find the necessary funding since, at most, it will fund probably only up to 30% of the cost of the scheme.
I do not know what is contained in the Minister of State's script, but I will be dissatisfied if he cannot confirm that his Department has decided to approve in 2002 – as per the promise given two years ago; I know exactly the stage it had reached within the Department up to June 1997 – both stages, costing €30 million, bearing in mind that it is a candidate scheme for European Regional Development Fund funding at the maximum level.
This is a major election issue locally, which is no wonder given that the people living in the area have long awaited the implementation of the scheme. It is not acceptable that a town of its size should have an antiquated system. The planners in the local authority have to say that due to the inadequacy of sewerage system they do not want to make any more connections to it because of its current overladen state. I mentioned the prison, one of the largest places of detention in the country. This institution is new and replaces an old hospital.
For all these reasons, this is an urgent project. The Chair knows well what I am talking about because I am sure he has received many representations about the issue. I sincerely hope I do not hear from the Minister of State something that does not tell the people of Castlerea anything. I want a positive answer. This is not about making an announcement for the general election; the scheme is needed for good infrastructural and environmental reasons in the town. Its sewage outflow system should not be polluting major rivers and fisheries. I will leave it at that and await with great anticipation a good answer.
