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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

Clonmel water outages

Summary

Deputy McGrath criticised repeated water outages in Clonmel and across the country, describing Irish Water as ineffective and disrespectful. The Tánaiste said he would raise the Clonmel situation with the Minister and pointed to ongoing and planned investment in water infrastructure.

To paraphrase the famed song for Kilcash, cad a dhéanfaimid feasta gan uisce? Water, and the work of Irish Water, is an appalling problem in Clonmel, south Tipperary and all over the country. I welcome to the Gallery Geraldine and Paddy, one of my office staff, who is on to Irish Water continuously. All our staff are on to Irish Water, but it is like writing to the North Pole. The company is totally ineffective and disrespectful. I do not blame the staff in there but the organisation does not have a clue what is going on. We have water outages in Clonmel weekly if not daily. There is also the issue with combined drains the company did not take over and which were not transposed. This situation will have to be changed. I am dealing with houses now where sewage is flowing around them. Irish Water will not touch this issue and neither will the county council, which built these houses to begin with. This is unfair.

The whole entity of Irish Water-Uisce Éireann is an abject failure and will have to be tackled sooner rather than later because it is impossible for people and public representatives to engage with the company. It is frustrating for everyone. It is not good enough. A Third World country would have better water services than we do in Clonmel.

Comment on this

I will talk to the Minister in respect of the situation in Clonmel.

More generally, there has been a consistent increase in investment in water infrastructure and wastewater treatment across the country. That investment has been effective in many areas. There is a significant programme ahead that will demand considerable capital investment for years to come-----

Comment on this

No value for money.

Comment on this

-----and we are committed to that investment.

Comment on this