asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state the number of public pumps situated in the town of Stradbally, County Leix; the number, if any, condemned by the county medical officer of health since January, 1940; the number of persons certified to be suffering from diphtheria, typhoid, and scarlet fever in the dispensary area, and the number of persons, if any, who died from such diseases during the same period; and whether he can now state if it is the intention of the Laoighis County Board of Health and his Department to see that a suitable water supply is provided for the people of this town at an early date.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Water Supply to Stradbally.
There are two public pumps in the town of Stradbally, Laoighis county, one of which has been condemned by the county medical officer of health.
During the period from January, 1940, to the 20th June, 1942, there were five cases of diphtheria, three cases of scarlet fever and three cases of typhoid fever notified to this Department as having occurred in the Stradbally dispensary district. Cases of diphtheria or scarlet fever cannot be attributed to the use of impure water. The cases of typhoid fever occurred in a district about two and a half miles from the town of Stradbally and were not attributed to the consumption of contaminated water. These three cases of typhoid fever ended fatally and are the only deaths recorded from the above mentioned diseases in the Stradbally dispensary district for the period January, 1940 to 20th June, 1942.
The Deputy should be aware from replies to previous questions that the Department has done everything possible to facilitate the provision of a new water supply for Stradbally.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary say again, if the scheme was sanctioned as far back as January, 1941, the cause of the delay of 18 months that has taken place in providing a suitable water supply? Is it the intention of the Department or the board of health to do anything before the end of the emergency?
The delay is due to the failure of the solicitor to the vendor of the water rights to sign the agreement. I understand that we have written to the local authority regularly, at frequent intervals, to try to bring this to a head. I understand that the solicitor of the local authority is trying to get the solicitor for the vendor to sign the agreement. So far it has not been possible to do it. I cannot see that there is anything further I can do to bring the matter to a head.