The programme for Government references unsewered rural villages. The project for one such village - Broadford, County Clare - is shovel ready. The land has been acquired and the project fully designed but it has sat on the shelf for many years. At a time when we have had absurd discourse on the environment, stating that dairy herds are major polluters, there are still rural villages like Broadford where when a toilet is flushed, at best it goes into an antiquated septic tank, while at worst, it goes into a gravel soak pit. It all ends up in the drinking water supply that the same people drink in the evenings when they turn on the tap. I ask that the development of sewerage in such villages be expedited over the lifetime of the Government. It should give us the 21st-century, or even the 20th-century, sewerage infrastructure we desperately need.

The programme for Government commits to investing in new sewerage schemes in small towns and villages. Which Department will lead the development of these schemes? Will it be the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government or the Department of Rural and Community Development? A lead Department needs to put this scheme in place so that villages and towns throughout County Clare, such as Broadford, Labasheeda, Cooraclare or Carrigaholt, can get the sewerage schemes they deserve.

Deputy Crowe stated the project he mentioned is shovel ready. The whole idea of the stimulus plan, along with more structural issues, is to try to get as much activity going in the next six to nine months as possible. A capital programme will be attached to the stimulus plan. I hope that projects of the kind the Deputies both identified could be accommodated in that plan. That will involve the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, Irish Water, the local authority and whoever else is involved to get it going. We want projects of that kind dealt with. To be frank, it is awful that that situation still obtains in Broadford. It is not good enough and, therefore, we must do everything possible to end that situation and to deal with it. Hopefully, the announcement of the capital element of the stimulus plan will be an opportunity to do that.