INDEPENDENT GALWAY WEST TD Catherine Connolly gave a passionate speech in the Dáil during Leaders’ Questions today, imploring Government to recognise the issue of wastewater in the Corrib estuary region in Co Galway.
Connolly said Government needs to do away with the “empty rhetoric” that Galway can become the next metropolis of Ireland if it continues to refuse the provision of a wastewater treatment plant for areas within the county.
She added that the lack of this “basic infrastructure” and upgrades to water pipes is what is preventing Galway developing, despite the existing plants to boost the city’s population by more than 120,000.
Galway has been in need of a wastewater treatment plant for some time, particularly for the areas of Merlin Park, Órán Mór, Bearna and An Cheathrú Rua which have been experiencing problems with local water pumping stations.
The need to upgrade the existing pipes under the Corrib estuary was first flagged in 2007 but funding was not provided to Galway City Council as, at the time, Irish Water was being established.
A number of problems have arisen since, including, most recently, 70 incidents where the EPA had witnessed human waste present and flowing in the Corrib within six months.
Earlier this month, local media in Galway also reported that sewage was being transported and hauled by tanker trucks as the pumping station in Bearna was incapable of carrying out its necessary tasks.
Connolly claimed that Irish Water have yet to resolve the issue, despite it being a known problem for 17 years, and she has had to bring the issue to the Dáil again as a result.
According to a recent report, read out by Connolly in the Dáil earlier today, the existing pipes under the estuary are at in “imminent danger of collapse” and are suffering from a number of structural defects.
She described the “kearnal” of the problem being at the wastewater treatment plant near Mutton Island. She detailed that while the plant has “plenty of capacity”, the collection network is stretched.
Similar accounts are detailed in local media reports from last year, when the Connaught Tribune reported that workers had confirmed that the pumping stations could not handle the volume of wastewater and rain needed to be pumped back to Mutton Island.
During her address to the Dáil today, she implored Green Party Leader Roderic O’Gorman – answering on behalf of the Taoiseach – to acknowledge the issue and the defects with Galway’s wastewater facilities and take a “hands-on” approach to resolving the issue.
Answering, O’Gorman said he “strongly believes” that Irish cities should be allowed to grow and added that he would be raising the issue with Community Development Minister Joe O’Brien.
He said that key infrastructure, such as wastewater treatment plants and upgrades to existing pipes, are the centre of improving Irish cities and believes that Irish Water has had a positive impact on such developments.
He added that he and Connolly would agree that more investment is needed so that Irish Water can carried out its work, which he said was “hugely valuable”.
Responding to his answer, Connolly said: “Minister, I’m glad you’re here as the leader of the Green Party and a Green minister. I just want you to hear what I’m actually saying.
“The two main pipes taking the sewage out of through the estuary of the Corrib, one is in imminent danger of collapse. Could you imagine what that means for the area along, for health and for housing?
“Back in 2007 it was recognised that we needed a syphon or a new pipe – nothing has happened. Back in 2009 it was recognised that we needed a new wastewater treatment plant on the east of the city [...] nothing has happened.”
Connolly reiterated that her point was to call on the Government to “stop the empty rhetoric about development and growing Galway city without the infrastructure” and instead recognise the issue.
She called for “leadership and vision” from those in Government.
“Telling me about your good will, I appreciate very much. But I spent 17 years of my life at local authority level, I saw them apply for the money, recognising the faults that were there while Governments were busy setting up Irish Water and then not giving any steer to Irish Water, not giving the resources, a hands-off approach -”
Connolly, who is also the Leas Ceann Comhairle, had recognised she had ran out of time and remarked that she was “not used to being overtime”. The Dáil allowed the Independent TD to complete her point and she called for action by Government.
O’Gorman said he was “absolutely happy to bring those concerns forward” but reiterated his point that additional capital funding to Irish Water will allow the “immediate environmental and public health risks be addressed”.
He added: “It will also allow the necessary water infrastructure to be put in place to enable that level of development – that you and I both want to see across Galway – be maintained and be enhanced.”
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