Richard O'Donoghue Demands Stormwater-Sewage Separation to Stop Overflows

Every day that we come in here, we're hearing housing, housing, housing, housing. So during the week, the EPA did a report. The EPA did a report on the local authorities on inspections of septic tanks. And they targeted them near rivers. And they did 1,390 reports, the County Council did on the tanks. And they found that 82% of these tanks were inadequate. But we're talking about meeting housing targets here. What the EPA hasn't done has looked at the treatment systems that we've been looking for upgrading for the last number of years, decades actually, for the upgrade of treatment systems that are actually going straight into rivers. Now I'm in construction all my life and I'm still in construction. We've given ideas to the likes of Ishgarden how they could actually have more sewage capacity in towns and villages on the same systems that they have already if they separated the stormwater from the sewage. But all towns and villages and cities, when they're piped from the house out to the main street, they're all going into one pipe. We gave them an idea of putting in separators for water. At the moment, our treatment systems are actually working at their best during the summer because they're not dealing with water and they're way below capacity. So actually 25 to 30% of our sewage systems are working perfectly during the summer. During the winter, we are now treating 70 odd percent water. And what happens is when the sewage comes with the water and it comes to a level in the treatment system, nothing gets treated because it goes out over the battle wall and straight into the waterways around Ireland. That's all your rivers, streams and heads all around the country, straight, untreated, because we don't have the proper people dealing with it. Ishgarden to me are a runaway train. They're not value for money. They're not listening to anyone. And there is solutions there for our systems in this country to give us clean water by putting in different systems to deal with the equipment that we have at the moment. And then we can upgrade as we can afford to upgrade. But they're not listening to common sense. They're not listening to other engineers. The technology is there to do what we have to do. And it's very simple what we have to do. But they're coming and telling you this system is broken, this system is broken, this system is broken. They're not listening to an engineering solution to help build more houses with the same systems that we have at the moment, by just separating the water from the sewerage. That's what I'm asking. Tisha. First of all, I thank the Deputy in respect to what is a very key issue. And again, you began in terms of septic tanks, largely in terms of existing housing stock across the length and breadth of the country. And it is important that we improve upon that and enhance the capacity to refurbish or develop, provide grant assistance to enable people to replace septic tanks that are old and not performing to the optimal level. And, I mean, there are a lot of engineers in Israel, and a lot of them would argue they know what they're doing. And I have met them, and I think we discussed, for example, one of the critical issues in towns and villages across the country is perhaps to free up capacity to local builders, for example, after developing a housing estate, or 20 houses or 50 houses, that they would be able to develop their own treatment facility, according to the spec that would be set by Ishka Airden, for example. And that would then be subject to inspection. And I think that would help to create additional house building in towns and villages across the country, where currently, because of absence of capacity, or no further capacity, such projects cannot get off the ground. And the memorandum memorandum of understanding has been designed to be developed between local authorities and, sorry, between Ishka Airden, in respect of that issue, to set out the proposals around that to enable that to happen. And the, in terms of the issue of the separation of stormwater from sewerage, I mean, again, I'm not, I won't profess to say I'm technically as competent as your good self in this area. But likewise, I would say that you mentioned the EPA, all of the work of the Ishka Airden is subject to compliance with the EPA, and it is one of the regulatory authorities that govern Ishka Airden, along with the CRU, and others as well. But they have made a lot of progress. Of that, there is no doubt. I mean, there's been a dramatic increase in water quality across the limited country over the last decade or so. Now, local authorities did a lot of that work initially prior to the establishment of Irish water, and I do think we need to maintain and retain a degree of local competency and local knowledge in our local authorities on water, sewage, and so forth. And there needs to be good partnerships between local authorities and Irish water in that respect. There was just an ARCLO recently, and a first-class, state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant provided by Irish water, six months ahead of schedule and on budget. And so, a lot of progress is happening. I will relay what you were saying to Irish water. I don't know whether you've engaged with him as a Dáil deputy or with others. Thank you, Tisha. I note the most favourite word among independent groupings in this house is common sense. Thank you, Tisha. And it suggests that maybe you guys have a monopoly of it over everybody else. But I'd say no more than that to me. Well, Tisha, the first part that you said you've met with Irish water, maybe you need to bring me with you to teach him a bit of common sense. And give him a bit of ideas, solutions. We mentioned there at the start that the EPA and the septic tanks. Yes, we have. But the problem with the grant system for the septic tanks, in 2013 you brought in a system where you got 5,000. In 2013 there was a system there that you got 5,000 euros to upgrade your tank. You registered your tank. If you got qualified for that your tank was defunct, you got the grant. But the problem was nobody qualified for the grant because you had to be tested for a little amount of people were tested. Now that's up to 12,000. But there's a mapping system now that actually two quarters of people in this country don't qualify for that either. So you've grants available for defunct tanks but they can't get the grants. Look at the mapping system that's been introduced by the EPA. I'm asking about equal opportunity for towns and villages. And I'm offered to help the government. I'm not going to criticize. I'm offered to help you. We have tanks in Oola 15 years. As Skiaton, 46 years waiting to be upgraded for treatment systems. This is what I'm talking about. I'm offering you your help. I'll meet you with Ishkaerden. And we'll go and ask them how we can improve the system. What do you say? What ask Skiaton? 46 years waiting for a storage system. And that's why I think we have to... With the best will in the world, if we want to get to 50,000 houses a year, I've spoken to Ishkaerden about this. They have a national mapping exercise already. They would have to... And if we give an extra couple of billion to Ishkaerden over the coming years, they would have to concentrate that spend on the big cities and the big areas of population. So, therefore, for smaller villages and towns, we need an alternative system, which allows for the provision of sewage treatment plants by the builder, but in accordance with detailed specifications from Irish Water, which is agreed now. And that will happen, is my understanding. And that would then, I think, help the Askeetans of this world, the Clockjordans of this world, and all those who have been waiting for quite some time. But if you're to look at the enormity of the investment required for every village in the country, cannot be done centrally alone by Irish Water. Cap Hacet just doesn't exist to do it. Thank you. Thank you, Tisha. And that...