Thurles flooding and sewage
Deputy Cahill described repeated flooding in Thurles, including sewage entering homes and businesses, and asked about infrastructure, compensation and barriers. The Minister said the incident was serious, noted widespread storm-water overflow problems, and would pass the matter to the housing Minister and Irish Water.
Last Sunday evening, I stood with businesspeople and residents whose homes had been flooded for the third time in four years. Thurles has a combined sewer, where storm water mixes with sewage, which exacerbated the situation. Having your home or business flooded with water is one thing, but having sewage come in around your home is another entirely. When will money be provided to put the infrastructure right in Thurles to allow for the waste treatment plant? Will these homes and businesses that were flooded get compensation? Will flood barriers be provided for these homes and businesses that are being flooded constantly until the infrastructure in the town can be improved?
Comment on this
I am aware, given somebody provided me with the details, of the situation in Thurles the other night. It was particularly acute, as I understand it, with water coming up through the mains and flooding that way. It is a significant issue, not just in Thurles. There are an estimated 2,350 storm water overflows in our wastewater system and there are similar circumstances in many of them, albeit not as acute as what happened in Thurles the other day. I will pass on to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, who is responsible for Irish Water and local authorities, the details the Deputy provided. We need to look to do whatever we can to respond to what I believe was a significant and severe incident of this combining of storm waters and wastewater.