The moral authority for this Government to pronounce on law-breaking is paper thin. Apart from anti-social behaviour, the corruption at Gama Construction and tax fraud, the Government is infamous for being taken to task for not complying with EU law. Ireland is cited in the second highest number of legal actions by the EU Commission for infringements of EU law, and in the highest number of complaints per capita on environmental issues. One wonders how the Taoiseach can say that will all be put right when he is in the doghouse in regard to EU legislation.

For example, my colleague, Deputy Gormley, is pursuing the Government's lack of action to prevent malodours, as they are politely called, from waste water treatment plants. The Commission has repeatedly told this Government that legislation is needed to regulate waste water plants. It says we need to protect water sources and that disinfecting water with chlorine is linked to various cancers.

The Government needs to pull up its socks in respect of EU legislation. The Taoiseach and the former Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Cullen, officiated at the opening of the waste water treatment plant in May 2003. Will the Taoiseach seek an investigation to establish why problems have persisted there over these two years and why the Commission has repeatedly reminded the Government of the need to take action? Why was it necessary for Deputy Gormley to go to Brussels to meet with officials and lodge an official complaint before any action could be taken? What action will be taken?

The Taoiseach presided over and accepted the plaudits for the opening of the plant, but will he accept political responsibility and commission an investigation to enable people know what the problem is and deal with it?

I am delighted Deputy Sargent is taking such a pro-European stance.

He always has.

I always have.

He opposes every treaty but he uses every power that the treaties give us.

Will the Taoiseach answer the question?

I will, but the inconsistency amuses me. I am entitled to be amused.

It is hypocrisy.

We are entitled to have a laugh.

We are entitled to get an answer to the question.

Deputy Sargent had two minutes to ask his question without interruption. The Taoiseach is entitled to the same facility. The Deputy cannot frustrate a democratic Parliament and prevent somebody called by the Chair from responding.

The Taoiseach frustrates us all the time.

Under the EU constitution, environmentalists have the power to deal with these issues. The Minister is committed to following these powers.

In the context of the complaint about Ringsend, to which Deputy Sargent referred, the Commission criticises Ireland for not having rules relating to odour from waste water plants. The draft binding rules are being finalised by the Department to comply with this requirement. The reality is that Ringsend and the new water treatments plants throughout the country have been built and operated to the highest European standards. They are all new. The work has been carried out with the help of European funding. We followed the Commission's directions in this regard. The reality is that the rules will not prevent odours arising from time to time while a new plant is being commissioned and settling. This is the technical advice we have been given. Obviously these issues must be addressed by the builders and operators of the plants, and they are endeavouring to do so.

On the other issues, we are not out of line with other countries. When the environmental commissioner issues reports, we do our utmost to deal fully with them and improve our standards, which is being done.

As expected, I did not get a reply. I asked if the Taoiseach would initiate an investigation but he did not answer me. I ask him that question again. I do not have to remind him about the list of legal actions which are taking place on nitrates, sewage plants, waste at Tara Mines, wetlands in the Boyne estuary, ozone depleting substances and oil pollution. There is such an array of legal actions that I cannot imagine how the Taoiseach can sit there and say everything is fine. He must take responsibility for an issue about which people have given up complaining, not unlike the anti-social behaviour issue. If one lives in Ringsend, Sandymount or the south-east area, one will be faced with problems on a daily basis. Does the Taoiseach accept that and think it is fine? The reality is that unless the matter is investigated, he will be standing over more than €300 million of taxpayers' money being misspent in this case, and he will be standing over the environmental effects which are causing serious problems for people's quality of life.

What about Dublin Bay?

Deputy——

I am being barracked, a Cheann Comhairle, so I wonder if you will pay equal attention to both sides.

What about the blue flags?

Allow Deputy Sargent to conclude.

Will there be an investigation into how public money has been spent and why problems have not been addressed? Will the Taoiseach set a commissioning date?

The Deputy's time has concluded.

The plant has not been commissioned two years after it was opened. It was promised that it would be fully commissioned within ten weeks. Does the Taoiseach realise there is a need for an investigation into this matter and will he oversee that?

To say it is a major problem and to ignore all that has been happening in Dublin Bay is not correct. Dublin Bay has been cleaned up. A magnificent job has been done in the area.

Hear, hear.

People who were never able to do so are now swimming in the bay.

Is it operating to capacity?

The Taoiseach without interruption, please.

This is one of the most significant and best jobs carried out around the coastline. The new water plant schemes around the country have been built to the highest standards with the best equipment. They have done extremely well.

They are too small.

It was accepted by everyone, including Dublin Corporation, the Minister and everyone involved, that when tests were carried out last summer and at other times that there was an odour in the area. The builders and the technical people who installed the equipment are trying to limit this odour to the best of their ability. It is not a matter of adding something else to highly sophisticated equipment which will get rid of the odour overnight. The problem does not call for an inquiry. Technically competent people built and commissioned the equipment.

They are incompetent.

Does the Deputy wish to leave the House?

They are doing their utmost to limit the odour and I hope they will finalise any outstanding technical issues as soon as possible.

Deputy Gormley, please.

Let us have a tribunal.

We do not need a tribunal.