asked the Minister for Local Government the present position regarding Shrule water scheme. County Mayo.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Water and Sewerage Schemes.
29.
I understand that Mayo County Council have recently readvertised this scheme and that a submission thereon is to be made to my Department shortly.
30.
asked the Minister for Local Government why Roscommon County Council are not giving a water supply from the regional scheme lo six group schemes in County Mayo along the border of Roscommon and Mayo.
This is a matter primarily for the Roscommon County Council. The decision not to supply water to groups outside the county was, I understand, taken because group development in Roscommon will for some time require the total supply which the county council will be in a position to make available.
Is the Minister aware that these groups have collected money with a view to getting a water supply from the regional scheme in Roscommon and they have not been able to go ahead because they have no water source? What is the position of those groups at the moment?
The Roscommon county manager has confirmed that the decision not to supply water to Mayo groups is because there is only a sufficiency in the source for the regional scheme to service the Roscommon groups. If the Mayo groups were to be serviced it would mean a second source would have to be developed. There is a second source available which will probably have to be developed very soon so that the manager's decision relates only to short term. I am sorry I cannot be more helpful in this.
It appears obvious from what the Minister says now that the presence of a second source is admitted by Roscommon County Council.
Yes, it is.
In view of that, and in view of certain facts in regard to hardship which I passed on to the county manager some months ago, and in view of the desire of the local officials that the scheme should be extended to Mayo, would the county manager reconsider this matter?
I shall bring Deputy Flanagan's and Deputy Finn's comments to the notice of the manager but they do appreciate that it is a matter for the local authorities and their members, I am sure, could do something about it at that level.
Question No. 31
I happen to be in contact with Roscommon County Council and Mayo County Council and those groups were led to believe that they were getting a supply from Roscommon through a regional scheme. I do not know how long this extra supply will take to develop. These people will be deprived of a water supply for years.
And this is causing very considerable hardship.
I can understand how difficult it must be for people who have spent money on a scheme but it is surely a matter for the local authority members to take up with the county manager. I cannot direct him.
31.
asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware of the delays in processing group water schemes in County Donegal; and if there is any explanation and remedy for the unsatisfactory situation.
Because of difficulty in recruiting suitable technical staff my Department have been unable to fill the vacancy created in Donegal by the retirement of the Department's inspector for the area. This unfortunately gave rise to delays for a time but arrangements have been made, as an interim measure, to have the work previously done by the inspector carried out by a member of the Donegal County Council staff. Since these arrangements were made the position has, I understand, improved.
The Donegal County Council are at present considering a proposal put to them by my Department that responsibility for the administration of group scheme work in the county should be devolved on them for a trial period of two years.
This is not confined to Donegal. It applies all over. The demand for group schemes has been increasing and the engineering staff is not there. Would the Minister have a look at the whole country?
I want to help Deputy Callanan but I cannot allow him to enlarge the scope of the question to a national basis.
It is my personal wish that the responsibility for group schemes should devolve on local authorities if they are prepared to carry out the work.
I shall put down a question about that. That is what I want too.
Is the Minister aware that Donegal County Council are inadequately staffed with professional personnel?
That is not the information I have got. They are considering the proposal to have the work carried out and they have not made the point that they have not got enough professional people at that level. If that is so there will have to be something else done about it.
32.
asked the Minister for Local Government the present position of the Herbertstown, County Limerick group water scheme.
My Department are awaiting the submission of a design for this scheme by the group.
33.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will sanction as soon as possible the Reynestown-Clomara group water scheme, Glengoole, Thurles, County Tipperary.
There is no proposal before my Department for a group water supply scheme to serve the Reynestown/Clomara area.
34.
asked the Minister for Local Government the steps that are being taken to expedite the Murreigh, Ballydavid regional water scheme, County Kerry.
I am informed by Kerry County Council that this area has already a public piped water supply.
35.
asked the Minister for Local Government when the Valentia water scheme, County Kerry will be in operation; and the steps that are being taken to expedite the scheme.
As far as my Department are aware this project has not been given a high rating in the county priority list of sanitary services schemes. It is primarily for the county council to consider the need for this scheme in the current circumstances of the area and the other priority needs in the county.
36.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he is in a position to sanction a sewerage extension to Hartwell, Kill, County Kildare submitted by Kildare County Council.
I am advised that because of the low density of the houses concerned and the nature of the soil in the area, they can be most appropriately serviced by septic tanks with the aid of the normal State and local authority grants.
Is the Minister aware that this matter has been sent back to the Department by Kildare County Council over a number of years? Would he not agree that the most economic way to provide sanitary services for seven houses within a distance of, I think, 300 yards would surely be an extension of the existing sewerage main? Would he have a further look at this in the circumstances?
I am proposing to have another look at it but all my advice so far is that the best way of dealing with it is as stated in my reply. The matter has been back and forward between Kildare County Council and the Department since 27th December, 1969. I hope to give an early decision on this matter.
Is the Minister aware that a young man anxious to provide a house for himself has been turned down because of a deficiency within his proposals to provide a septic tank and that the Kildare public health authority felt that the site would not be suitable for that reason and that a decision to allow an extension of the sewerage would provide the young man with a site that is available to him to provide his home in that area?
The decision we are talking about was sent to the county council on 3rd July, 1970, and it is only recently that the matter has come back again into the Department. It is being actively considered and I hope to give an early reply.
37.
asked the Minister for Local Government if it is a fact that every Irish town with a population of 10,000 persons or less discharges untreated sewage directly into nearby rivers.
The Report of the InterDepartmental Working Group on Water Pollution indicates in chapter 4 that, while a large proportion of sewerage is discharged untreated into rivers, lakes, estuaries and the sea via unsuitable outfalls, a greater portion of the smaller towns have sewage treatment plants, while the larger towns do not even though they discharge a greater pollutional load. The reasons for this are that the sewerage systems of the smaller towns were generally constructed more recently than those of the larger ones, and therefore benefited from the more modern concern about pollution and also that the larger towns are generally situated on estuaries or on larger rivers, which were considered to have sufficient capacity to absorb pollution.
Has the Minister any proposals to improve this situation? Does he propose to take any steps to try to improve it?
Yes. This year £6 million more is available than was available last year for this type of work. I hope to encourage local authorities to submit proposals for sewage disposal schemes in their areas. This appears to be the most direct way of dealing with the problem.
Am I to understand that the initiative, in the first instance, will be left with local authorities?
Yes.
When the schemes are sent in the Minister will draw up a list of priorities?
The local authorities, when sending in their schemes, draw up lists of priorities. I work on such lists.
On a national scale?
The schemes will be drawn up as they refer to local authorities. Each local authority are entitled to send in their own list of priorities.
Am I to take it that the Minister is now inviting all local authorities to submit proposals to him to provide for treatment to sewage effluent outfalls not at present being treated? Are the local authorities being asked to submit proposals to have their local sewerage schemes treated before discharge, in cases where they are not being treated at present?
That decision was taken by the former Deputy Boland, one of my illustrious predecessors, when he was Minister for Local Government. I am sure it was repeated by other Ministers, including Deputy Molloy himself. I would be glad if the local authorities would keep updating their priority lists. According to some of the deputations which have visited me it appears that people consider that their areas are too low on their own county priority list. I would be glad if such schemes would be prepared.
Some local authorities would submit schemes for approval which would in fact provide for a new sewerage scheme where such scheme did not exist, or would submit schemes for replacing existing schemes which have gone out of date. I am talking about the treatment works at the end of the sewerage line before there is any discharge of the effluent, wherever it is discharged. There is a question of priorities here.
We cannot have a debate on this matter.
There is a question of equal priority to applications for treatment works and equal treatment for applications for new sewerage schemes.
The Deputy is aware
The Minister has only to say "yes" or "no".
That is what Deputy Molloy would like me to say. Has the Deputy forgotten that the situation is that the local authorities have the right to send in their priorities in this matter? If they decide they want one type of work done in preference to another, that is a matter for themselves, I do not propose to dictate to them.
I am afraid that the Minister and I have been at crosspurposes.
We must pass on to the next question.
The Minister has not answered my question. The Minister has said there is an extra £6 million to be spent this year. How is he going to divide that up? Will some county get priority over another?
No county will get priority over another. The money will be spent on the proposals sent in by each local authority according to where they are on the list.
I am passing on to Question No. 38. I expect a reply to this question. I have allowed Deputy Molloy to deal with this matter at length.
Am I not to be allowed——
Deputy Molloy has been allowed quite a number of supplementary questions on Question No. 37.
It is unsatisfactory because we have not been able to elicit any information.
The Deputy should not need information. He got it all when he was in office.
It shows that the Minister has no anti-pollution policy.
38.
asked the Minister for Local Government the present position of Crinkle sewerage scheme, County Offaly.
I understand that the local authority are now examining the tenders which have been received for this scheme.
39.
asked the for Local Government the present position of Kinnity sewerage scheme, County Offaly.
I understand from the local authority that this scheme has recently been advertised for tenders.
40.
asked the Minister for Local Government when the second stage of the sewerage scheme at Bray, County Wicklow will be commenced; and if he will state the nature of this final stage.
Stage II of the Bray sewerage scheme as at present envisaged would discharge the town's sewage into deep water outside the harbour. The planning of this project is, however, as yet at preliminary stage only and its further planning depends on the outcome of additional technical investigations which are at present in progress in relation to the outfall area generally.
41.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he has received a proposal from Galway Corporation for an intercepting sewer in respect of main drainage areas 1 and 2 in Galway city in order to pick up the discharge outlet at Claddagh Quay; and if he has approved of the proposal.
I approved in principle of this scheme on the 13th June.
It stirred the Minister up anyway.
Actually, it should have been done last year.
That is not a fair remark.
42.
asked the Minister for Local Government if a survey has been carried out of remedial and improvement work required for all sewerage systems which are causing or contributing to pollution in the receiving waters; and, if so, the estimated cost involved.
A survey of local authority sewerage systems was carried out in connection with the examination of the problem of water pollution recently reported on by an inter-departmental working group. It was estimated from this survey that the total cost of remedial and ancillary improvement works to systems causing pollution or contributing to it would be in the region of £35 million.
Is the amount required something less than the envisaged budget deficit? Will the Minister tell me if, as a result of this survey, it is proposed to draw up a list of priorities so that this matter can be dealt with in an efficient and straightforward way?
The Deputy can be sure that this Government will deal with this matter in an efficient way, as they deal with everything.
This gives me the opportunity of asking the question which I was not allowed to ask few moments ago.
The Deputy cannot be allowed to make a statement. Has the Deputy a relevant supplementary question to ask?
Will the Minister give a direction to local authorities that they should give top priority to schemes to treat effluent from sewerage schemes in their areas? If he does not, he knows well that the local authorities will only give priority to new sewerage schemes to open up new building land and the pollution of our waters will continue. It is causing much concern.
I am calling the next question. The Chair must be obeyed in this matter.
I have great respect for local authorities, large and small. I propose to allow them to do their business in their own way.
(Interruptions.)
A long survey has been done on this and a detailed report was given to the Minister. I do not know whether the Minister is aware of that or not. I would like to know whether the Minister has studied the report and whether he has come to any conclusions? Can the Minister inform the House as to what will happen?
Would Deputy Lemass like to put down a question on that? The Deputy does not know what is in the question, but he is telling me what the reply should be.