Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 30 Jan 1990

Vol. 394 No. 8

Written Answers. - Sewerage Systems.

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

314 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for the Environment , in respect of each town or city on a marine estuary or on the sea coast of the country: (i) the total population of the urban area; (ii) the capacity of the sewerage system; (iii) whether it discharges untreated sewage into the estuary or sea; (iv) the number and location of secondary treatment systems for such urban sewerage systems; (v) the number and location of tertiary treatment systems; and (vi) the cost of providing (a) secondary and (b) tertiary treatment systems; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Flynn)

Information in the form requested is not available for coastal areas as a whole. However, if there is a particular location for which the Deputy requires specific information, I will endeavour to furnish it.

Most sewage discharges from coastal towns are at present untreated but I would refer the Deputy to the environment action programme published on 26 January which indicates the Government's decision to eliminate untreated discharges from major coastal towns by the year 2000. This will cost up to £400 million between now and the end of the century but, as explained in the action programme, expenditure will not build up fully until 1993. Provision is being made, however, for additional spending of £5 million in 1990 and £15 million in 1991 on coastal sewage schemes.