asked the Minister for the Environment if, in view of the demands on the water resources serving the Dublin area and the likelihood of difficulties in the future in meeting this demand, he will undertake a publicity campaign in the media designed to make the public better aware of the need for the conservation of this valuable and limited resource.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Water Conservation.
30.
A decision as to whether a publicity campaign should be undertaken to emphasise the necessity to conserve water supplies in Dublin is a matter for the local authorities who are responsible for the water supply system in the Dublin area.
Arising out of the Minister's reply would the Minister not agree, since drinking water has become a scarce commodity, that his Department should undertake such a campaign?
As I stated in my rep-ly it is a matter for the responsible local authorities to take a decision in this regard. Dublin Corporation are conserving the water supply by reducing pressure, and to aid in the conservation of the water supply Dublin Corporation are considering in consultation with their advisors the advisability of a publicity campaign in the media. No decision has yet been taken. It is a matter for the corporation to decide, in consultation with other Dublin local authorities, whether to undertake a publicity campaign. Consumers should be very well aware of the serious situation in view of the widespread coverage the present serious situation has received in the media.
The Minister has agreed that a serious situation exists. Has he any proposals for the erection of new water reservoirs to provide drinking water for Dublin city?
(Interruptions.)
That is a matter for the relevant local authorities.
Could I ask the Minister if, in the event of any local authority including the Dublin one making a decision to have such a campaign which the Minister obviously would subscribe to, funds would be forthcoming from the Department in view of the depleted funds at present in the hands of the local authorities? Will the Minister make funds available for such a campaign, which would be in the national interests?
Funds would be made available in the normal way.
(Cavan-Monaghan): How many more week-end meetings will the Minister have?
The position in regard to the overall supply of water available is that preliminary work com-menced on the 16 November on contract four of the Liffey aquaduct water supply scheme after major difficulties and delays in acquiring the necessary agreements.
That is all very interesting but it is totally irrelevant to the question.
Work should commence on contract five and contract six in early 1979. This scheme for which loans totalling £3.365 million have been provided will, when completed in mid-1980, provide an additional 20 million gallons per day, which will be sufficient to provide an adequate supply to the Dublin area into the 1980s.
The question I asked was in relation to a publicity campaign, and the Minister's reply is totally irrele-vant to that. May I ask the Minister to say yes or no to the simple question. If publicity campaigns are agreed by the local authorities would his Department be sympathetic to funding such campaigns?
I will examine the position as to whether the Department is legally entitled to fund such a campaign.
Further arising out of the Minister's reply would he sanction showers as well as baths in local authority housing, for instance?
I am calling the next question.
31.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will, through the housing grants scheme, endeavour to get house builders to switch to providing showers instead of baths in the interest of water conservation.
The new house grant scheme already allows an applicant to provide either a shower or a bath, or both. I have no proposal to alter the scheme in this regard.
(Cavan-Monaghan): The Government are a right shower.
32.
asked the Minister for the Environment if, in view of the increasing demands on the water resources on which the Dublin area relies and the difficulty in meeting de-mand due to weather conditions and other long-term problems, he will instruct local authorities to provide showers instead of baths in any housing schemes planned by them.
I would have no objection in principle to a proposal by any local authority to provide showers instead of baths in a local authority housing scheme. Local authorities, as sanitary authorities, are in the best position to determine the most useful and practical means of conserving water, and I would consider it neither wise nor necessary to impose on them any particular methods of dealing with water shortages.