This serious problem has obtained in Ballyvaughan for the past four or five years, with raw sewerage flowing from the bay to a tract of land located about one and a half miles outside Ballyvaughan, known locally as "the Ryan" and a sandy beach about the same distance from the town. Bearing in mind the many different walks and other attractive tourist amenities in the area, this problem must be tackled expeditiously.
The raw sewage is seeping from manholes right along the coast road, near the pier in Ballyvaughan, affecting dwellinghouses, restaurants and public houses in the area. Indeed the direction of the wind determines whether residents can open their windows. There is no question of my attempting to exaggerate its consequences since this has already been described as a public health nuisance by the supervisory environmental health officer of the MidWestern Health Board.
It will be readily appreciated that Ballyvaughan is a high tourist amenity area where a number of extra dwellings, both permanent and holiday homes, are being constructed.
The problem is perceived not only as a public nuisance but a health hazard to local residents. I am informed it is further exacerbated by the fact that, although pipes take this raw sewage out to sea — because of a mal-functioning valve — the incoming tide brings it back to the shore. I hope the Minister will seek urgent funding and assist Clare County Council to remedy this problem.
There is also the associated problem of an inadequate water supply in Ballyvaughan where, last summer, many local residents had to draw their own water supplies from old wells. These wells need to be cleaned and the pipes leading from them into reservoirs also require urgent attention. Clare County Council installed a borehole just outside Newtowncastle, on which residents of Ballyvaughan must rely for their water supplies, which with old wells — when the pipes leading from them to the reservoir have been attended to — would help to alleviate the local water supply problem.
I hope the Minister will inform the House of the position of the Doolin-Lisdoonvarna water supply scheme — at present under examination in Brussels — which I understand will be grant-aided from European Union Cohesion Funds. I am also informed that Clare County Council awaits approval to advertise for tenders from contractors to undertake this project. Perhaps the Minister can inform us when it is expected that project will commence. I brought these matters to the attention of the Minister today because they should be dealt with immediately. I hope we hear good news from the Minister.