Vol. 396 No. 8
46 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Midland Health Board found water from the supply at Streamstown national school, County Westmeath unfit for drinking on two occasions recently; that the incidence of sickness among the pupils is unusually high; and the plans, if any, he has to minimise the danger to health.
Arising from routine sampling and analysis procedures carried out by Westmeath County Council, some contamination of the water supply to Streamstown national school has come to light. However, I am informed that absence from the school because of illness is not considered to be unusually high for this time of the year and a surveillance by the health board of the local general practitioners does not indicate an unusual level of illness related to the school.
The local health board director of community care has, as a precautionary measure, administered a course of preventive injections to those children whose families were willing to accept it. The drinking water tap in the school yard has been disconnected and the children have been warned against drinking the water from the taps in the toilets where the younger ones particularly are supervised when using them. Operational hygiene has been improved including the boiling of any water which is needed for drinking or cooking. The director of community care does not consider it necessary to close the school.
It is a matter for the sanitary authority in this case, Westmeath County Council, to ensure that drinking water meets the quality standards set down in the European Communities (Quality of Water intended for Human Consumption Regulations, 1988) and the procedures to be adopted where the statutory levels are not met are set down in the regulations. The director of community care has made recommendations to the Westmeath County Council for the improvement of the situation and the board of management of the school. I am also communicating with my colleague, Deputy Mary O'Rourke, Minister for Education, about the matter.
