I welcome the Minister. The matter I wish to raise is self-explanatory. I am seeking an update on the Shannon water treatment plant. Difficulties have arisen because the plant has reached maximum capacity. There are many reasons for this, including the fact that one local pharmaceutical company pumped large volumes of material into the river in recent years and that leachate seeped into it from a dump in the area. It is a matter for the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, to indicate how it facilitated that. The biggest issue which arises in the context of Shannon is that, at present, it would not be possible for a prospective employer to set up operations there and, for example, create 200 jobs. This is because the water treatment plant has no additional capacity and planning permission could not be granted. In the past six or seven years, horrendous smells have wafted through the town at intervals. We want to find a permanent solution to this problem, which has been already been raised with the Minister elsewhere. I await his reply.
Adjournment Matters
Water and Sewerage Schemes Status
I thank Senator Mulcahy for raising this issue and providing me with the opportunity to set out the position in relation to the Shannon sewerage scheme. This was included as a scheme at planning in my Department's water services investment programme for the period 2010 to 2013. I approved the commitment of the necessary capital funding of just over €1 million to allow Clare County Council to complete the tender formalities with the successful tenderer in respect of an advance mechanical and electrical contract to upgrade four pumping stations on the scheme. I understand from the council that this contract was signed in December 2013 and that operations in respect of this advance works contract will commence in March 2014.
In October 2012, my Department wrote to Clare County Council informing the council that the preliminary report for the Shannon sewerage scheme was not approved since the council had to address detailed technical issues in respect of storm water run-off ingress, re-evaluation of the collection system and implementation of the composite sampling programme recommended for the treatment plant and monitoring of the discharges. The council was also advised to take cognisance of all additional statutory obligations that had come into effect since the completion of the preliminary report. A response to this request from Clare County Council was received in my Department last October and the follow-up to this response will be dealt with by Irish Water.
The Water Services (No.2) Act 2013 transferred statutory responsibility for water services from local authorities to Irish Water and provided for local authorities to act as agents for Irish Water, with this relationship being expressed through service level agreements. Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has been responsible for the delivery of water services capital infrastructure. Irish Water is preparing its capital investment plan for 2014-2016 which will provide for the transition of projects that were included in my Department's water services investment programme 2010-2013. The further progression of all water services capital projects, including the Shannon sewerage scheme, is now a matter for Irish Water.
Resolving the issues that have arisen at the Shannon town scheme is a priority for Irish Water. Prior to taking up responsibility for water services in January 2014, Irish Water commenced the process of examining options that could resolve the issues at the scheme. The existing scheme requires major re-engineering which will need an investment of between €2.5 and €3 million. Irish Water is considering the technical options for the scheme and will be proceeding to detailed design, budget finalisation and, subject to all statutory consents being approved, construction in 2015. In the meantime Irish Water is proceeding with pumping upgrades and other short-term measures. I hope this clarifies the position for Senator Mulcahy.
I thank the Minister for his reply. It is a welcome statement. I am sure the people of Shannon, all the employers and, most important, those of us who live in the town are grateful that the matter will be dealt with finally after all these years, that we will have a proper scheme in the town and that we will be able to grow the industrial base.
Local Authority Charges Review
This issue was raised by a councillor in the area but in a sense it is a national issue. The question for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government is whether, given its importance to the retail and social revitalisation of Laois, there are any plans for the Department to assist, through rates discounts, with the development of Rathdowney shopping outlet and similar sites throughout the country. This raises the bigger issue of rates discounts and so on for derelict or unused commercial buildings.
As the retail recovery slowly begins to take root, the Minister has the opportunity, perhaps, to improve the recovery by encouraging a rates discount in such circumstances. Perhaps this could be accomplished by changing the law covering the valuation of property. A change could allow a discount to be applied in shopping centres or other buildings where the occupancy rate is at a certain low level.
I appreciate that this is a matter for the council in question. Perhaps it could be seen as a case study or an example of where policy could be engineered to facilitate such buildings. Many people living in the area would benefit greatly from the employment that would be created. I believe there are several shopping centres for which something could be done to allow their growth to be kick-started. I am keen to know whether the Minister has any plans in this regard.
I am considering the wider issue in the sense that there are numerous commercial buildings throughout the country. I accept that the commercial market dictates much of this and I accept that the sector is improving, more so in urban areas. However, outside Dublin the struggle is still going on. I am a Dublin-based Senator but I see this as a national issue. When it comes to rural development, this begs the question of whether we should have a Minister for rural development, perhaps a super junior Minister, if there is a Cabinet reshuffle, which, I realise, is beyond the Minister's scope. I am keen to hear the Minister's response to the issue of derelict sites and what we could do to improve the situation.
The Senator is correct to suggest that Cabinet reshuffles are above my pay grade. My colleagues and I are acutely aware of the pressures on businesses at this time, especially outside the major urban areas. The decline in business activity in our city centres, rural towns and villages has meant that many businesses have been unable to survive the downturn in economic activity, resulting in increasing numbers of shop closures and vacant units in town centres in particular. Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Act 2001. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each local authority.
Local authorities have been asked by my Department to exercise restraint and, where possible, to reduce commercial rates and local charges for 2014. They have responded well to such requests in recent years, and in 2013, a total of 87 out of the 88 rating authorities either reduced their annual rate on valuation or kept it as it was. It appears that a similarly restrained approach has been adopted by local authorities in this year's local authority budgets.
The reorganisation of local governance structures, which I set out in my policy programme, Putting People First, has been given legislative effect by the Local Government Reform Act 2014. A key objective of the reform programme is to reduce the burden on ratepayers and taxpayers generally by reducing cost and maximising efficiency. While the determination of the annual rate on valuation, ARV, will continue to be a reserved function of the new authorities, I am determined that these savings should be passed on to ratepayers in the form of lower charges.
The Act contains several rating provisions that form part of the Government's commitment to economic stimulation. One such provision is the removal of the commercial rates liability that is placed on new occupiers of properties for up to two years of outstanding rates of the previous occupier. I have also provided discretion to local authorities to vary the rate of vacancy refunds to apply in their administrative areas, thus allowing councillors to respond to local circumstances. The timing of the commencement of these provisions is being considered in the context of the timetable for commencement of provisions in the Act generally.
Specific reference was made to a rates discount. Under the provisions of the Local Government (Rates) Act 1970, a rating authority may make and carry out a scheme providing for the waiver by the authority of all or a portion of commercial rates due by ratepayers in respect of a specified class or classes of property. The making of such a scheme is subject to the consent of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. Any application received for a rate waiver scheme is carefully considered. However, in considering any application, it should be borne in mind that if an authority gives a waiver of rates for one class of ratepayer, the forgone amount must be made up in another area. In other words, there must be a balance. Moreover, the introduction of a waiver scheme could further increase costs on the part of businesses not in the scheme, since it is likely that they would be required to make up the cost.
I will continue to keep the approach to rates by local authorities under active review and I am determined that every avenue will be pursued to optimise efficiency and contain costs in the local government sector to allow for commercial rates to be reduced if the councillors decide to do so.
That is certainly a positive aspect of the Act. Does the Minister have any vague idea at this stage of when these schemes are likely to come into place? Obviously, this case is close to the Minister's constituency and he may be familiar with Rathdowney. On the face of it, is the Minister open to the idea of an application? Obviously, any application would have to be made. Does it not seem like a case that would be suitable for the scheme to which the Minister referred?
I am familiar with the specific case Senator Noone referred to in Rathdowney. It is just outside my constituency. I familiar with the outlet specifically mentioned in her contribution. I am open to considering all proposals that come from local authorities. Equally, it is a matter for local authorities if they wish to exercise restraint. They can classify a particular property in a particular way to generate relief for the property owners. In addition, I have transferred the responsibility from the tenant to the landlord in respect of any difficulties where rates have not been paid in previous years. The responsibility is now attached to the property and the landlord of the property rather than the tenant. This should free up some movement in respect of ease of access to vacant units in places like the Rathdowney outlet, which, hopefully, will help as well.
Maternity Services
Following the Minister's statement in the Dáil yesterday and the real concerns of the people of the north west, I have some specific questions to which I would like specific answers.
What the Minister said yesterday led me to tabling today's motion, which asks him to confirm or deny the existence of a preliminary report on maternity services in the HSE west and north-west hospital grouping area, as prepared by the Health Partnership consultancy. I would like the Minister to outline the terms of reference provided for the preparation of this report. I want him to outline the report's draft recommendations, specifically in terms of the number and location of maternity service centres in the region, and to clarify the Government's position on the matter.
I have reason to believe that the draft preliminary report specifically states that two maternity services are to be maintained, one in Galway and one in Donegal. I know that no decision has been made, but I want to get to the bottom of this preliminary report, and I hope that the Minister can answer those questions. First, does a preliminary report exist? Second, what were its terms of reference? Third, what did the draft recommendations state?
I tried to contact this company, Health Partnership, which has a virtual office on Trinity Street. I spoke to a lady there today, who directed me to the CEO of the HSE to answer any of my questions. I do not know anything about this organisation. If we look up its website, it does not state that any personnel work there. The lady to whom I spoke said four people worked there.
The commitments given yesterday by the Minister had a very worrying end, because he said that a national review was taking place and that this would be determined by national and not local concerns. The Minister will understand that the people of the north west have an issue with the Minister and the Government on the basis that they were lied to in the past in respect of Roscommon General Hospital. They were lied to by the Tánaiste in respect of cancer centres of excellence. They were lied to by the Taoiseach in respect of Roscommon General Hospital as well.
I thought we had rules about using words like "lies" and so on.
You probably need to temper that language, Senator.
I do not need to temper it. I am taking advantage of what is called parliamentary privilege to tell the truth. I am not abusing privilege, but I am using it to say that the Minister lied to the people of Sligo, the Taoiseach lied to the people of Sligo, and the Tánaiste lied to the people of Sligo and the people of Roscommon. I have an issue with the commitment given by the Minister yesterday being truthful. I do not accept it as being enough.
I want the detail of the preliminary report. I want the terms of reference given to Health Partnership and I want to know what are its draft recommendations. The people of Ireland and the people of the north-west region are entitled to know, if Fine Gael and the Labour Party are secretly intending to dismantle the maternity services of the north west, what are the terms of reference to do so. For example, the first term of reference that ought to be given to any consultancy group for the delivery of any health service in this country is that services are delivered on a geographical quality basis. That has not happened in the past, in spite of the Minister's lies on cancer services. I understand that I am using parliamentary privilege, but I am most certainly not abusing it-----
That is not the idea of parliamentary privilege.
-----because I must put on the record the fact that the Minister told lies in that respect.
I must ask the Senator to conclude.
As a result, we have grave concerns about the Minister's commitment yesterday. He did not issue denials that a preliminary report exists. He did not deny that the preliminary report's recommendations sought to shut down three of five services in the north west of the country. As a result, we need to see terms of reference. This group with a virtual office on Trinity Street needs to make available to us the preliminary report, and the terms of reference under which it drew up that report.
I have a written response, but that was before the Senator got up and made these outrageous statements about lies. The people of this country know who told them lies. The Senator's Government brought this country to its knees, so I am not going to sit here and take a lecture from him.
I do not want him to sit here. I want him to answer the question.
The Minister, without interruption.
I heard reports of the Senator's performance earlier today, and clearly he is still in the same form.
I am interested in the people. I am interested in getting the answers.
The Minister, without interruption.
If I were given an opportunity to answer, I would.
The Minister wants to give a lecture on the last Government. The people voted on that. The Minster is in the seat now and he should answer the question.
Senator, you have already spoken. I must ask you not to interrupt the Minister.
I would like you to direct the Minister to answer the question. I do not need a lecture from the Minister on why the people voted the way they did. I know, pal, and you know.
You have had the opportunity to speak.
The Upper House is not usually associated with people calling one another "pal", but however-----
Welcome to the real world. Answer the question.
You are going to have to let him answer the question.
The first part of getting an answer is to be able to listen, rather than continually interrupting.
There have been media reports suggesting that some hospitals within the west and north-west group were to lose their maternity services. These reports are purely speculative and have no basis in fact. I fully recognise that such unsubstantiated reports are a cause for concern for patients and staff, and I very much regret any upset which may have been caused to staff or patients in the region. It is not helped, of course, that they are further undermined by the likes of Senator MacSharry stirring it up into a sense of hysteria.
So says the king.
The position is that in the context of the implementation of the HIQA report into the death of Savita Halappanavar and the Higgins report on the establishment of hospital groups, the west and north-west hospital group is currently undertaking a review of maternity services within the group. This review includes the maternity units at Mayo General Hospital, University Hospital Galway, Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe, Sligo Regional Hospital and Letterkenny General Hospital. The review is in the very early stages and will take some months to complete.
I am informed that a draft report exists. I am further informed that it makes no recommendations on the closure of any of the five maternity units within the hospital group. The House can be assured that any decision on maternity service reconfiguration will be considered in the context of the development of a new national strategy for maternity services. No decisions on service reconfiguration will be implemented without the agreement of my Department, and certainly not in advance of the publication of the proposed national maternity strategy.
The development of this strategy is currently under way and it will determine the optimal configuration of maternity services to ensure that women in Ireland have access to safe, high quality maternity care in a setting most appropriate to their needs. It is my intention to publish the strategy later this year. As part of the development of the strategy, maternity services in all parts of the country, and not just the west, will be reviewed and evaluated. The House may recall that one of the recommendations of the HIQA report into the death of Savita Halappanavar called for a review of maternity services nationally. I accept that report. In addition, the Higgins report on the establishment of hospital groups requires that each hospital group prepare a strategic plan for service configuration, consistent with national objectives, for the delivery of patient services.
We should welcome the review and look forward to similar reviews throughout the country. Such reviews will inform the national maternity strategy and help us identify how we can improve the quality and safety of care we provide to women and their babies, ensuring best outcomes for women and their babies.
The Minister has confirmed that there is a draft report. He has not confirmed the terms of reference. If it is as benign as he claims, why not publish the terms of reference that were given to the Health Partnership group to put the minds of those people at ease, and publish the preliminary report as well? The people of Ireland can then get a taste of what their future holds in respect of the maternity health services provided to them.
I have met the two chairpersons of two of the new hospital groups. They are acutely aware of the need to make sure that services are delivered as near to home as possible, in the most cost-effective fashion, but that the services are also safe. That will be a benefit of these groups, because they will allow for a "buddy up" of services.
Rather than services closing, smaller units will have the support of the bigger unit in the hospital group to ensure that they can deliver a standard of care that is safe, efficient and will deliver best outcomes for patients, mothers and babies.