Richard O'Donoghue Offers Help to Cut Costs and Fix Sewerage
Richard O'Donoghue told the minister he can save money and deliver more sewerage infrastructure by offering hands-on help and practical fixes, while criticising a lack of accountability in the department and in Ish Cairn. He outlined separating storm water from sewage, targeting repeated leaks, and adjusting plant capacity, and offered to visit plants nationwide to advise.
He directly offered his expertise from the construction and water sectors to the minister, asking whether the minister would accept outside help to achieve greater value for money and more infrastructure with the same funds.
He said he does not trust the department or Ish Cairn because of a perceived lack of accountability, warning that without accountability the same problems will repeat and value for money will not be delivered.
He described how sewerage plants are sized on dry-season capacity multiplied by three or four, using an example of a plant with 1,200 cubic metres capacity and 250-300 cubic metres in dry season, arguing taxpayers are effectively paying to treat storm water during winter peaks.
He recommended splitting the water network so storm water is diverted to an interceptor and rivers while sewerage goes to the treatment plant, and highlighted recurring leaks — some fixed repeatedly many times — as avoidable costs that waste public money.
He said he has done a small study on a sewerage plant and offered to visit plants around the country to advise, help hold Ish Cairn to account, and help the minister deliver more infrastructure and savings for the people of Ireland.
Offer of practical help
He directly offered his expertise from the construction and water sectors to the minister, asking whether the minister would accept outside help to achieve greater value for money and more infrastructure with the same funds.
Concerns about accountability
He said he does not trust the department or Ish Cairn because of a perceived lack of accountability, warning that without accountability the same problems will repeat and value for money will not be delivered.
Technical proposal on plant capacity
He described how sewerage plants are sized on dry-season capacity multiplied by three or four, using an example of a plant with 1,200 cubic metres capacity and 250-300 cubic metres in dry season, arguing taxpayers are effectively paying to treat storm water during winter peaks.
Specific fixes recommended
He recommended splitting the water network so storm water is diverted to an interceptor and rivers while sewerage goes to the treatment plant, and highlighted recurring leaks — some fixed repeatedly many times — as avoidable costs that waste public money.
Offer to support implementation
He said he has done a small study on a sewerage plant and offered to visit plants around the country to advise, help hold Ish Cairn to account, and help the minister deliver more infrastructure and savings for the people of Ireland.
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Transcript
Minister, are you up for taking help from somebody that's in the construction sector who knows water, who knows sewerage, who knows how to fix them, who knows how to maintain them? Will you take my offer of helping you save money and get more value for money? Will you take that offer? Because I can help you. I can help you save money on what you're giving Ish Cairn and get more infrastructure in place with the same money. That's what I can do for you if you're open to taking help. Or do you think that you're above taking help from somebody that worked all their life in this sector? So, I wish you well in your position. I don't trust your department. I don't trust Ish Cairn. I don't trust them. For the one reason, there's no accountability. And with all the best will in the world of what you're trying to achieve, and I commend it for what you're trying to achieve, but if you don't have accountability and value for money, what you're going to be doing for the next number of years is the same thing all over and all over again. So, I just want to give you one, for instance, on this, Minister, of how we can save money from the likes of the Ish Cairn and get more value than that. We can actually fix some of the leaks that we've around the place. I know some places that have the same leak fixed 20 times. They'd have the road fixed, the pipework network fixed, for the 20 call-outs that they're paying someone to fix the same pipe ongoing and ongoing. So, I've done a small bit of a study there recently on a sewerage plant. And I showed the sewerage plant, Minister, that what it was made up... So, any sewerage plant in this country is made up on a dry season, which is our summer, the capacity of your town or village. Multiply that by either three or four. That's how you make up your capacity. So, I'll work it into simple cubic metres for you, Minister. I'll use chrome plant, roughly. It's 1,200 cubic metres for sewerage. On a dry season, it has between 250 and 300 cubic metres to deal with sewerage. But during the winter, it's at max capacity at 1,200 cubic metres. That means you're paying, and the taxpayer is paying, for treating storm water. That's what we're treating. Rather than a simple solution, it's split the water network. Have the water go to an interceptor, then go to your rivers. That's the storm water. And have your sewerage go to the plant, where you can allow for more houses to be built, more infrastructure to be built in an area. That's a solution that can come up with, with a small cost of fixing. And I can help you there. And I can go around, visit all the plants around the country, and help you there. And give you what you need to take on Ishgairn, and make them give you value for money. That's how I can help you. If you're willing to take up my offer, I'll help you, which will help you deliver more for the people of Ireland. Thank you.