Adjournment Matters.

Site Acquisitions.

Senator Cecilia Keaveney

I am pleased to be able to raise with the Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, the need for an update on a site acquisition in Buncrana. The development in question will have three constituent parts, namely, a Garda station, the consolidation of the social welfare offices and a decentralised office under the auspices of the Department of Social and Family Affairs.

The upgrade of the Garda station in Buncrana has been long required. The existing building has gone beyond the state of being in bad repair. It does not provide the service that is needed, not only for the gardaí there but also for the public.

My main concern is value for money. To date, temporary solutions have been examined while the main building is being developed. I believe a lease has been secured for a building and that substantial money may have been spent on ensuring the temporary accommodation is of sufficient standard.

The delay in having the gardaí moved from their existing accommodation to the temporary accommodation has lasted too long. We have just debated the issue of education and how school projects can move very quickly when a decision is taken and a site is available. I am disappointed at the seeming lack of progress on progressing the temporary and permanent accommodation projects, which is why I have asked for an update.

There was to be a consolidation of the existing social welfare offices on the same site. I understand the staff of the social welfare offices in Buncrana have gone through an endurance test in coping with a difficult situation. It is important their needs are met soon by having accommodation built for them. It is not economic to continue to rent accommodation in a number of centres, which I assume is happening. It would be preferable to have a permanent building.

This is not just about the quality of the staff's current accommodation but also about staff welfare and team spirit. If staff are in one location in a new building, the team spirit and the ability to do the job will be enhanced. Staff are working against the odds, although they are doing a marvellous job in poor circumstances, which also applies to the gardaí in Buncrana Gardastation.

The core issue I wish to raise is that of the decentralisation of the Department of Social and Family Affairs offices to Buncrana, which is the third component part of this one site. It is very important that this project is advanced. While the number of staff offering to move to Buncrana is smaller than its original allocation, we must move on, build the offices and make the project a reality. When that happens, more people will take notice of Buncrana as a destination, and should they do so, they will realise that the quality of life and opportunities presented by the location and town are immense. There should be no back pedalling with regard to developing the site for decentralisation.

From a career perspective, which is what concerns many civil servants, there is a positive message in Buncrana and Donegal given that Letterkenny is a major location for the Department's offices. When the new €1,000 payment for children under six years old was introduced, it was decided that the offices in Letterkenny would be the administrative centre for this. In terms of career progression and opportunities, having a Department of Social and Family Affairs office decentralised to Buncrana is a further positive development in addition to the existing social welfare services in place in the town and the services in Letterkenny and County Donegal.

We need the building to be physically in place to encourage other civil servants to accept Buncrana as a real, positive option. The project has been talked down by many. It is important for the status of the town, which has lost hundreds and perhaps thousands of jobs from the textile industry in the past decade, for the Inishowen peninsula and the surrounding area right into the Derry heartland that the region is given priority by the Government. If the Government will ensure the decentralised jobs are up and running on schedule, we will have the opportunity to use this as a catalyst for other inward investment.

We have had a difficult time, including an employment crisis, but we have worked to turn that situation around. We have improved infrastructure and continue to do so. The new dispensation in the Six Counties and its new Assembly will give the north west a much more attractive base than our geographic position has allowed until now.

I hope the Minister of State has good news for me today, namely, that work is progressing on all three projects. Ultimately, whether the project will be progressed is an economic decision. Much of the groundwork has been done but to reach this position, it was necessary for me to sit down with many people who were blaming each other. The Office of Public Works was blaming the Department of Social and Family Affairs until it arrived in the room, and the Department blamed the Garda until the Garda arrived in the room. However, I had a very successful morning when I brought most of the parties around the table. I would like to think the project will progress significantly given that the site has been acquired.

Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Deputy Noel Ahern)

A site of about 2.25 acres was acquired in 2005 in Buncrana to facilitate the provision of a new local office and a decentralised office for the Department of Social and Family Affairs. As Senator Keaveney noted, there was an additional requirement in Buncrana for a new Garda district headquarters. The existing Garda station is inadequate to such an extent that the gardaí are moving to temporary accommodation in the short term pending the erection of the new station. With the acquisition of a small additional portion of 0.38 acres of adjoining land which was available for purchase, the combined site can facilitate construction of the three facilities, namely, the two facilities for the Department of Social and Family Affairs buildings and a Garda district headquarters.

Planning permission for the Department of Social and Family Affairs local and decentralised offices was obtained on 30 January 2007 and the Part 9 planning process for the Garda district headquarters was completed in May 2007. In deciding how best to design and procure these facilities, it was considered that designing and contracting the facilities as one single project was the most sensible way to proceed. It was considered that the best value for money, deriving in large part from economies of scale, would be achieved in this way. The design of the facilities is integrated, making best use of the site. It incorporates shared excavated basement car parking facilities for the two Department of Social and Family Affairs buildings.

Following an EU competition, seven contractors were shortlisted for the project. The tender competition for construction of all the elements proved very competitive with all seven contractors submitting tenders. Consideration of the tenders is under way. When building commences, the project is expected to take 21 months to complete.

The project comprises three elements, the first of which is the Department of Social and Family Affairs decentralised offices. This building will be a three-storey building which will accommodate 120 decentralised staff from the Department of Social and Family Affairs. The Department provided a general brief of requirements based on the Government decision but has not as yet identified specific sections to be transferred.

The second element is the Department of Social and Family Affairs local office, the design of which will allow for a building over two floors. The local office is currently located in leased accommodation in Castle Avenue. This building will also include an area for the Department of Transport and the Marine driver test centre, which comprises an interview room, staff room, waiting area and staff and public toilet facilities. This facility will be for driver testing for motor vehicles only. The driver test centre for heavy goods vehicles, HGVs, will continue to operate from Letterkenny.

The third element is the Garda district headquarters, which will be a three storey building. The Garda station was previously located at St. Oran's Road. However, as this premises is wholly inadequate, the Garda Síochána is in the process of moving to temporary accommodation in Lisfannon industrial estate in the short term, pending the erection of the new station. To sum up, consideration of the seven tenders is under way.

Senator Cecilia Keaveney

I hope the Minister of State will continue to advance the project.

Water Supply.

Senator Nicky McFadden

I wish to share time with Senator Ryan.

In 2006, Dublin City Council published a draft feasibility study in which three options were considered to meet the projected water demands of the greater Dublin area. The options were to abstract water from the River Shannon at Lough Ree, abstraction from the River Slaney, River Barrow or both and abstraction and desalination of sea water from Dublin Bay. The second option, the abstraction of water from the River Slaney and River Barrow, was ruled out because it was considered that this source would not provide the required volume of water. The third option, desalination of water from Dublin Bay, was also discarded as it was deemed to be too expensive. The first option is to abstract from Lough Ree 300 million litres of water per day for the greater Dublin area and a further 50 million to 100 million litres for other local authority areas located along the proposed pipeline.

Estimated future water demands are based on a number of criteria, including the need to respond to the possible effects of climate change. In addition, it has been predicted that greater affluence will result in increased per capita water consumption. The need to facilitate potential future industries with high water demand is also taken into account. The feasibility study makes no mention of the need to put into practice conservation measures such as rain water harvesting for sanitary flushing and garden irrigation and grey water reuse on site.

Current leakages and losses from the water supply system in the greater Dublin area amount to 65 litres per household per day and an additional 161 litres per day through leaky pipe distribution. This mismanagement by the local authority is unacceptable. In two short years from July 1998 to 2000, the Dublin water conservation project reduced leakage in the Dublin area from 40% to 30% of water supply. Regrettably, the feasibility study makes no mention of such conservation measures.

Total losses of water from the Dublin system amount to 200 million litres per day or around 60% of the quantity Dublin City Council proposes to abstract from Lough Ree. The Government has committed itself to the national spatial strategy, of which the gateway towns of Athlone, Mullingar and Tullamore are part. Given that the population of these towns is projected to grow by 60,000 by 2020, we in the midlands need to plan for our future water needs, rather than allowing the needs of the people of Dublin to supersede our own.

Westmeath County Council and other local authorities may expect to satisfy these future water needs by tapping into the proposed pipeline from Athlone to Dublin. The Athlone area has experienced severe water problems this year, with poor quality water from the River Shannon causing severe difficulties in existing water treatment facilities, resulting in water being rationed during the day and turned off at night. Senators will be aware of the recent cryptosporidium contamination of the water supply in Galway, a crisis that could easily recur.

I may be a lay observer but it is clear that the lack of consultation with members of the public and the clandestine manner in which Dublin City Council, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and local authority executives are managing this matter are wrong. I understand the final decision will be one for the Minister rather than elected members of the relevant local authorities.

The effects of major abstraction on the capacity of Lough Ree and the River Shannon for recreation, navigation and fisheries have not been addressed in the feasibility study. I am acutely aware of the importance of tourism, tourist angling, pleasure cruising and sailing to the midlands, a region in which massive investment has been made in marinas, club houses and amenities. To damage in any way this important resource would be a disaster to the region's economy and the quality of life of its people. The significant commitment of local fishing organisations to restock the lakes of County Westmeath is to be commended. This is, however, a vulnerable process as fluctuation in water levels would be most harmful to the area's rich fish stocks.

The Shannon catchment area contains a significant number of vulnerable national heritage areas, NHAs, and special areas of conservation, SACs, which are under serious threat. Knowledge of the effects of abstraction on these areas is inadequate. While no one denies that the projected water needs of the greater Dublin area must be addressed, I fail to understand the reason Fingal County Council has applied for planning permission to construct a landfill in an area which has a rich resource of underground lakes and springs. The utilisation of these aquifers along with conservation, recycling, rain harvesting, the possible storage of excess water from the River Shannon during the winter months and, if necessary, desalination could, with a little vision, meet the projected needs of the greater Dublin area without abstracting water from the River Shannon and Lough Ree.

Dublin City Council's proposal to abstract water from Lough Ree for the purpose of meeting a projected growth in the demand for water in the greater Dublin area is a matter of grave concern for citizens. I call on the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, to set the record straight and I ask Members who represent constituencies in the Shannon basin to consult their constituents and enter into a full, honest and open debate on this important issue.

Senator Brendan Ryan

I cannot understand the reason consideration is being given to a proposal to pump surface water from the River Shannon to Dublin to meet the water needs of the capital when the city is surrounded on two sides by the north Leinster aquifer. This aquifer, which stretches from Daingean, County Offaly, through counties Kildare and Meath and across north Fingal until it enters the sea between Balbriggan and Rush, can be viewed on the Environmental Protection Agency's website. It has been mapped and tested by the EPA for nitrates and coliforms. Although it is the largest and cleanest aquifer in the country, it has never been surveyed for its potential output as a public water source. This output can be estimated based only on the groundwater extraction at Bog of the Ring in Fingal. The output at this point, which accounts for approximately one hundredth of the total aquifer, is 3.5 to 4 million litres per day. On this basis, potential overall output may be as high as 350 million to 400 million litres per day, equivalent to the estimated shortfall in the Dublin water output.

Five hydrogeologists have agreed that at least three other potential public water sources could be tapped into between Bog of the Ring and Swords. The only people who understand and are aware of the importance and potential of the aquifer are those involved in horticulture who currently use it through a complex network of private and industrial wells.

Groundwater is currently under-used, with only 5% of the public water supply derived from groundwater sources. This figure compares with figures of 99% in Denmark, 72% in Germany and 70% in the Netherlands. The risk of contamination of surface water is much greater than that of groundwater. Estimated costs of removing water from the north Leinster aquifer are approximately one tenth of the cost of pumping water from the River Shannon. The cost of purifying water from the aquifer would be a fraction of that required to purify surface water.

The Government must protect our water sources. A national policy is required for the management of all water resources, particularly in the context of predicted water shortages and recent water-related health problems in Galway. Identification, development and protection of locally and regionally important groundwater resources such as the north Leinster aquifer are vital. The Minister must act now on this strategic issue of national importance.

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Deputy Tony Killeen)

This is my second visit to the Chamber today but my first time to address the Senators present. I congratulate new Members on all sides, including my former colleagues in the other House who have been promoted to the Upper House, Senators who were successfully returned and Senator Moylan on his elevation to the position of Cathaoirleach. I thank Senator McFadden for raising this important issue and Senator Ryan for the important points he made.

Ireland will experience significant climate change impacts, even if international efforts are successful in stopping or slowing down the current rate of increase in average global temperature. Research on future impacts of climate change on Ireland predicts changes in rainfall frequency and intensity. This will require us to invest in measures to reduce the adverse impact of such changes such as infrastructural investment to deal with more intense floods and droughts and to ensure that water supplies continue tobe able to service social and economic requirements.

Water is a finite resource and we have a collective responsibility to manage it effectively for future generations. Local authorities, which are at the heart of this challenge, have a range of facilities available to them to produce, deliver and conserve sufficient stocks of water to meet current and anticipated needs. The Department co-ordinates and finances a major programme of investment in improved water supply infrastructure. Details of currently approved projects are set out in the water services investment programme 2007-09 which the Minister published only last month. A copy of the document is available in the Oireachtas Library. The programme includes some 330 schemes worth €2.6 billion which relate exclusively to water supply.

The National Development Plan 2007-2013 includes an increase of 27% — to €4.7 billion — in planned spending on water services by comparison to the previous NDP. Substantial increases in water treatment, storage and delivery capacity will be achieved on foot of this investment. Schemes completed in the period 1997 to 2006 have already produced additional drinking water treatment capacity equivalent to the needs of a population of 1.2 million.

Conservation of water supplies has an equally important role to play in avoiding water shortages and developing sustainable water use practices. Finding additional water supply capacity through leakage control and better supply system management is preferable to capital investment in new infrastructure. It reduces environmental pressures from extra raw water abstraction, treatment and delivery. Some €288 million is available to local authorities from the Department's national water conservation programme for measures to reduce leakage and other unaccounted for water losses from public water supplies. By the end of the year, almost all non-domestic water supplies will be metered, giving the business community a means and incentive to determine how to reduce water consumption, providing both a financial and environmental benefit.

It is of fundamental importance that we continue to plan strategically for future pressures on water services whether from climate change or other influences. A passive approach will not do. There must be a concerted, planned and co-ordinated response. The Water Services Act 2007 provides for that and requires all local authorities to manage their water services functions within a framework that requires six-year strategic plans to be drawn up for each area.

Ahead of the legislation, many local authorities have moved to plan for their long-term needs. For example, the Dublin, Cork and Limerick local authorities have completed studies with minimum horizons of 20 years. The strategic water plans that local authorities must draw up under the Act will address current and projected challenges and identify appropriate responses to changing pressures and demands. Detailed guidance on the preparation of these plans is to be available shortly from the Department and I will bring the related provision of the Act into force soon afterwards.

Overall, I am satisfied that with adequate commitment and planning by all stakeholders, the integrated policies, strategies and financial resources being put in place will ensure the national water supply infrastructure will be capable of meeting all reasonable demands in the future. Senator McFadden raised issues referred to previously in the Dáil by Deputy O'Rourke. I will send the additional information to the Senator, as I was not aware it was part of tonight's debate.

Site Acquisitions.

Senator Maria Corrigan

In recent years, the Leopardstown-Stepaside area has undergone extensive development and expansion. In the past five years, approximately 6,000 additional residential units have been given planning permission and commenced building. In most cases, they are occupied. Further residential units are planned.

The recent agreement of the Kilternan local area plan ensures further development, population expansion and educational need in the area. The Department has been helpful in meeting the area's primary educational needs in that there are six primary schools, two of which were completed recently, and the completion of another has been fast-tracked. The area is appreciative of these facts and, with the Department's agreement, sites for an additional three primary schools have been identified.

While the area is on track to have nine primary schools, it will not have a post-primary school. In 2000, the Stepaside area action plan identified a site for a post-primary school just outside the village and a reservation order was placed. In 2001, the Department's inspectors visited the site and confirmed the need for a post-primary school. Therefore, the reservation order was to remain in place. Six years on and we are still awaiting news of progress. Children from the area attend a range of secondary schools, almost none of which has direct bus routes to and from the area. This places a burden on people in terms of transport and has an adverse impact on the community's future development. I hope the Minister of State has good news regarding progress in terms of the site's acquisition and plans for the post-primary school.

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science (Deputy Seán Haughey)

I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his election and Senator Corrigan on her appointment. I wish her a successful term in Seanad Éireann and I thank her for raising this matter, as it affords me the opportunity to outline to the Seanad the position of the Department of Education and Science regarding education provision in the Leopardstown-Stepaside area.

Officials from the school planning section of the Department met officials of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council regarding the education provision requirements in the context of the ongoing developments at Kilternan and Stepaside. The Department has acquired a number of sites for new primary schools and many of these projects are either in advanced architectural planning or about to commence construction.

In the course of examining the need for additional provision at post-primary level and having regard to the developments at Kilternan, Stepaside and Cherrywood, the Department has identified surplus capacity in existing post-primary schools in south Dublin, but it has requested the local authority to reserve two sites for post-primary schools in the Stepaside-Kilternan area. It will continue to monitor the demand for post-primary school places in the Stepaside area to ensure any extra demand is met in a timely manner.

Seanad Éireann debate - Wednesday, 10 Oct 2007