I want to thank you, a Chean Comhairle, for allowing me to raise this matter in the House and to thank the Minister for the Environment, Deputy Michael Smith, for being present here to deal with it.
The purpose of raising this matter on the Adjournment in respect of the Ballinrobe sewerage scheme is to seek clarification from the Minister as to the reasons the scheme has not commenced to date and hopefully to have an indication from him when work might actually commence.
Ballinrobe is an important market town in a strategic location in County Mayo. It is situated between Lough Carra and Lough Mask in what is a rich agricultural region comprising good soils and, in some cases, fractured limestone. It is served by the River Robe which takes raw sewage from Claremorris, Hollymount and Ballinrobe town. It is an important angling centre, having hosted on Lough Mask and close by on Lough Carra the World Wet Fly Championships on a number of occasions. From that point of view it is an important aspect of the economic development of Ballinrobe.
This is one of a number of important developments due to take place in the town, including an extension of the Lough Mask regional water scheme from Ballinrobe to Claremorris. It is important to note that there has been much concern expressed in recent years about the condition of the Robe waters. While these have been constantly monitored by Mayo County Council and the pollution monitoring personnel, concerns have been expressed. In a time of expansion and of growing population in that general locality it is important that this project would proceed.
Mayo County Council were informed by the water and services section on 22 April 1993, that in respect of the Ballinrobe sewerage and sewage disposal scheme £3 million was set aside for this by the Department of the Environment. I am aware that this £3 million was subject to approval by the EC, coming as it does under the Cohesion Funds. I am aware also that Mayo County Council complied with all the regulations of the Department, that they had their scheme approved, that they sought tenders and that they made a recommendation. I am further aware that one of the contractors then sought legal advice on the tender system and I believe the Attorney General has clarified that matter and that the Department of the Environment should now be in a position to accept the recommendation of Mayo County Council and to allow work to proceed.
I cannot over stress to the Minister the importance of this development to Ballinrobe. It is a small town without a major industry, apart from a few small but important ones, and has been without any industrial development of any size over the past number of years. I hope that the Minister in his reply will be in a position to indicate that the legalities of the issue have been cleared up and that hopefully work will commence at an early date. When work does commence I would hope that the shopkeepers and businesses on both Glebe Street and Bridge Street, which must close for a number of weeks while the work is going ahead, would at least have the county manager's endorsement in respect of a proportionate waiver regarding rates. This is necessary because of the amount of business which will be lost due to the total closure of business on these streets for a number of weeks.
It is important to bear in mind that this is a very important scheme for Ballinrobe. It is contingent for the whole region upon having both Hollymount and Claremorris following suit. It is vital that this project proceeds quickly. In that context I hope the Minister will clarify for the House and for the people of that locality that the legalities have been resolved and that he will give his imprimatur for work to commence in the immediate future.
