I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 16, inclusive, together. The Cabinet Committee on water quality oversees implementation of the programme for Government commitments in relation to the range of issues affecting Ireland’s water system. The committee last met on 30 October and the date of its next meeting has not yet been scheduled. The committee is informed by the work of the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, which monitors and reports on water quality in Ireland. The EPA recently published its report Water Quality in Ireland 2019-2024, which shows water quality improvements in some areas but also an overall decline in waterbodies in a satisfactory ecological condition. While the overall ecological status of Ireland’s waters is significantly better than the European Union average, the downward trend is a matter of concern. The report shows that targeted actions in the agricultural sector and improvements in wastewater treatment appear to be paying dividends, with lower reported levels of nutrients in water bodies where targeted actions have been taken. The Cabinet committee has also examined the investment programme of Uisce Éireann to improve wastewater treatment capacity and meet best practice in managing its existing infrastructure. Last week, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage published a sectoral plan for water services and water quality. This includes record investment of €12.2 billion, largely allocated to Uisce Éireann to support the delivery of the additional water services capacity required to deliver the Government's housing plan and to improve water quality. This investment will help to deliver the Government water action plan, Ireland's roadmap to protect and restore our rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal waters and ground waters. Last year, the Government also published Water and Agriculture: A Collaborative Approach, and this report sets out measures to address the twin objectives of improving water quality and demonstrating that a robust case exists for the maintenance of a derogation for Ireland from certain aspects of the EU nitrates directive. In October, the Minister, Deputy Browne, published a draft nitrates action programme, which will form the basis of Ireland’s ongoing discussions with the European Commission on a new derogation. The Minister has invited submissions from the public on its contents. A public consultation process on the strategic environmental assessment and appropriate assessment of the plan is also live, with submissions invited by 1 December. European Union environmental Commissioner Roswall visited Ireland last week and met with the Minister, Deputy Heydon, as well as farmers and other stakeholders to discuss Ireland's application for a derogation and the importance of its continuation to Ireland's outdoor, grass-based livestock systems. The visit provided an opportunity for the Commissioner to visit a farm in County Kildare to see at first hand the efforts towards improving water quality and to engage with public representatives and stakeholders. Discussions with the Commission are ongoing to find an approach that facilitates the continuation of high-quality dairy and beef production by derogation farmers while ensuring sufficient protection for the quality and ecological status of our rivers, lakes and estuaries.
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Sorry, the which?
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I thank all of the Deputies. A comprehensive number spoke in respect of the responsibilities of Irish Water, particularly in terms of wastewater treatment plants and flood relief schemes. Deputy 'Chap' Cleere raised the issue of a series of flood relief schemes in his constituency. I do not know why the planning process should take two years and that is something we need to analyse further but measures will come to Government in respect of critical infrastructure in the next number of weeks. Flood relief schemes are taking too long because the urgency is very real. Given the worsening climate, we have more frequent storms and rainfall that is heavier and comes in short bursts and that is creating huge pressure on our systems. I have been to many flooding scenes where the devastation is appalling and negatively impacts on households and businesses. We then have consequential compensation schemes and everything we try to do to alleviate the pressure but there is nothing worse than being the victim of a flooding incident. I will take a look at those schemes and talk to the Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Deputy Moran, to see how we can accelerate this. We are also looking at a critical infrastructure Bill and will see whether we can include wastewater and flood relief schemes. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan raised the derogation and I fully agree with him that retaining the derogation is vital for farm families and for the food production system and the dairy industry. We need a sustainable farming industry but farmers are working with us on various water improvement schemes under the European Union framework and have being doing a lot to measure and assess this work. I have had discussions with the President of the European Commission explaining the unique position in Ireland because we have a pasture-based system that is outdoors more than indoors. Most other European systems are indoors. The Minister for agriculture, Deputy Heydon, has been working with Commissioner Roswall, who came to Ireland last week. She met farmers in Kildare and saw first-hand the measures we are taking to make farming and agriculture more sustainable. We know farmers do need to know. I take the Deputy's point in respect of other contributors to waste and I met representatives of Irish Water recently in the context of the Cabinet subcommittee meeting. Representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency were there as well. In my view, Irish Water has to get it right in respect of its own actions. It cannot contribute negatively to water quality, being a water body itself, nor can local authorities. They also certainly need to step up to the plate in protecting our waterways. Deputy Murphy raised the issue of Balrothery estate in terms of sewerage overflow. Again, I will talk to Irish Water in respect of where that is at. We have allocated unprecedented resources to Irish Water as a result of the national development plan and we have given it multi-annual funding. Irish Water knows what its funding will be for the next five years, which should enable staff to get on, to plan and do things. There is a lot of work to be done. Our population is growing exponentially, and has grown during the past two decades. That is creating pressure on water services. What will be important as well, for those who correctly referenced wastewater treatment plants, is that we have to try to create a narrative and a consensus in society not to object to wastewater treatment plants, to their upgrade or to supply projects. An awful lot of these projects are getting snarled up in planning and being delayed for far too long. What is happening in the preparation of the schemes, stage III to stage IV, is that everybody is dotting the i's and crossing the t's because they are anticipating an objection or a judicial review so they want to make sure they can be resilient in the face of a court case being heard or a judicial review of a decision taken during the planning process. What we are getting is a very slow process in getting projects through. We will have to deal with that and the Government is determined to deal with that because we have to push ahead. Even on a small issue like apartment guidelines, and we had it earlier this afternoon during Leaders' Questions, we get public representatives judicially reviewing regulation. Then people complain about things not moving. We cannot have it our own way, every way, but that is a general comment on where we are and it is important. Deputies Ó Murchú and McGreehan correctly articulated all of our shock and horror at the devastating accident in Louth. Five young lives were lost. They were going out for a nice evening. We are all parents and we are all afraid of something like that happening when our young people go out and so on and we all want them to come home. On this occasion, they did not come home and the impacts on the parents are beyond comprehension. It is very difficult for them. We hope the beautiful memories they had with their young children will sustain them in the time ahead. I thank the Deputies for raising this in the House. In regard to Deputy McGuinness's contribution, I will talk to Irish Water. I cannot get involved in every single case. This relates to two houses. Surely the county council and Irish Water should knock heads together and get that issue sorted if the water mains are 500 m away. Deputy Heneghan has left the Chamber. He has gone with the swimmers; I would say they are gone too. Deputy Boyd Barrett raised the issue of Dublin Bay as well. It is a very serious issue. E.coli levels are too high and when there is heavy rain, people cannot swim. That is not satisfactory. I am back to the issue that we need wastewater treatment plants. The whole Dublin water project is being judicially reviewed. The Arklow wastewater treatment plant was conceived at the same time as the Dublin scheme. It has opened - I opened it - and the Dublin scheme has not even gotten off the ground. There are other projects of that kind we need to get off the ground and to get going. The points were well made by Deputies Boyd Barrett and Heneghan in that regard. In terms of the drinking water regulation and the 500 households, again it is a specific issue and I will talk to Irish Water in respect of that.
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Is it a group scheme?
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The Deputy wants flexibility in the multi-annual funding. I will talk to the Minister to see whether there is anything that can be done there or not.
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There is a combination of issues in terms of the reconstitution of the group of volunteers. Deputy Boyd Barrett raised the issue that Ringsend does not have capacity. We have been engaging and have appointed-----
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I know and we have allocated billions of euro now so hopefully we can get it done. Deputy Quaide raised the issue of Balyhooly and the basic quality of water. I have spoken to Irish Water representatives about the Cork situation more generally in terms of water quality issues and they are working on that. Deputy McGreehan again raised the issue of habitats and Dundalk Bay. Again, I asked Irish Water to engage with public representatives. All State agencies should engage with public representatives in a respectful and engaging way and should give proper responses. The State funds these agencies. In many ways they are created as agencies to get things done but that should not absolve the agencies then of their responsibilities to communicate to democratically elected Deputies and Senators or indeed councillors on the local authorities as well. I will have a look at what the story is in Dundalk Bay. Deputy Tóibín raised the issue of Trim again in terms of keeping the taps on and water quality. Again, it relates to wider issues. They had the plan, we have now funded the plan, and the issue now is getting things done as quickly as we can. Deputy Lawless raised Clew Bay and Newport. Again, it is about getting the infrastructure in place as quickly as we can. I will relay all of those to Irish Water for a response.
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 to 31, inclusive, together. Our programme for Government sets out an ambitious agenda for building our shared island. Yesterday, the Government made a major funding commitment of over €50 million through our shared island fund to ten new programmes. We are investing for the future to improve people’s lives and strengthen connections across the island of Ireland. We are moving forward with €14 million for a major new shared island media initiative by Coimisiún na Meán, delivering on our programme for Government commitment to resource schemes to encourage cross-Border journalism on an ongoing basis. A sum of €5.9 million is being allocated to the fire and emergency services from North and South to deepen their co-operation to enhance capacity and training on management of flooding events and on search and rescue operations. There will be €6 million for the new shared home place programme, which will foster a sustained, broad engagement with all communities on this island and with our diaspora on the island of Ireland’s diverse heritage, and how this can shape our shared future. Funding of €14.5 million is being allocated for an expanded creative lreland shared island programme and arts projects. There will be a €1.8 million contribution to the next phase of the all-Ireland pollinator plan to protect the island’s unique biodiversity. Ministers are also working with confirmed shared island fund resourcing to establish a new air link between Derry and Dublin next year; support development of new cross-Border and Border region greenway routes; deepen our co-operation with Northern Ireland Executive counterparts on tackling bovine TB, the information service for cross-Border workers and commercialising research. The Government also yesterday, as part of the national development plan review, published our shared island investment priorities across virtually all sectors out to 2035, backed by our shared island fund and other resourcing. The iconic Narrow Water Bridge and Ulster Canal restoration projects are forging ahead. Next year, Government resourcing will enable commencement of construction of a new teaching building at Ulster University in Derry and continue the transformative hourly frequency Dublin to Belfast rail service. In April, I launched a new phase of my Department’s joint research programme with the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, with a focus on strategic policy and co-operation considerations for the island, and research projects for 2025-26 are under way. This includes a new annual report series by the ESRI assessing economic trends across the island of Ireland, which will be published next month. Through our shared island initiative, the Government will continue to invest in strategic all-island co-operation and deepen our partnership with the Executive and UK Government as we work every day to build reconciliation between the different traditions of this island.
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I thank all of the Deputies for raising important issues. Deputy McGreehan in the first instance correctly identified that we are delivering results in respect of the shared island unit. It is practical and impactful. It is not about rhetoric. We have had rhetoric for 60 or 70 years and longer. It is about getting things done and delivering, and that is what we are doing. I take the point the Deputy made in respect of Dundalk IT and Queen's University. That is a very exciting development. It is a huge opportunity. Both institutions have to work now, as Deputy Ó Murchú said, to get the heads of agreement worked out and proper understanding for the benefit of students and staff. Deputy McGreehan has been a strong advocate of this. Deputy Ó Murchú has raised it as well. I have made it clear to the Minister, Deputy James Lawless, that I am supportive. I have no doubt that if the shared island unit gets a concrete proposal, it can respond positively. Obviously there is a lot more detailed work to be done. We need to do this properly, which is why the fund goes out to 2035. We do not need to rush things. We need to get them done properly and effectively so it is informed. Deputy Devlin used the phrase "practical people-focused projects". This sums it up. No other Government since the foundation of the State has invested in Northern Ireland like this Government has. The shared island unit is a unique departure. It speaks far more than a lot of the rhetoric. I have been reading a lot about the 1940s, the 1950s and the 1960s. Some pretty good histories have been published recently on partition. Some good work has been done on all of this. Throughout the decades people spoke about four green fields, unity and all the rest of it but very little happened. We have come through 30 years of horrific violence, which was unnecessary in my view. We have an opportunity now. People are entitled to their constitutional positions. There is no issue there. There is nothing stopping any political party, by the way, from advancing a detailed blueprint. I have yet to see one. There is nothing stopping any political party doing this but we can come back to it on another day.
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These questions are on the shared island unit so I will keep it there. Deputy Devlin raised Dundalk IT and Queen's University and I have explained this. With regard to Dublin and Belfast and the night-time economies, we are very anxious to really develop the Dublin-Belfast economic corridor. The councils are good. I get the point on the night-time economies. I will look at it in terms of what we can do. To respond to Deputy Paul Murphy, COP is a bit outside the shared island unit but he got it in. When he speaks about "the big dairy farmers" - he is classic at this - he is pretending that medium-sized and small dairy farmers would be okay under him. What he is saying would wipe out dairy farming entirely. This is what he is saying and he should be honest about it. The Government has made its position clear on this. I agree 100% with Deputy Michael Murphy that we need evidence-based, informed and objective research and data. The shared island unit has a separate strand for big funding where we commission the ESRI to do major research. It did one on school completion North and South. The North was higher. We now have an initiative under the shared island unit on healthcare.
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It has done economic studies as well as studies on primary care and health. Very good studies are being done by the ESRI and there will be more. More data will be coming next month. Research is also being done by the National Economic and Social Council. To respond to Deputy Quaide, we are doing work in the area he mentioned but there is potential for more work if we can get a viable project. He is correct that attacks have increased. People are living in fear and this is a big concern. To respond to Deputy Shane Moynihan, work has been done under the shared island unit in terms of enterprise centres and on SMEs. Deputy Moynihan can look at InterTradeIreland's project under the shared island unit, which I launched recently. Tremendous work has been done joining companies North and South together using shared island unit funding. To respond to Deputy Conway-Walsh, there is commissioned research from the ESRI on economics. The shared island unit is outside of the constitutional issue and will remain so to try to get buy-in from all communities without prejudice. This is one of the reasons it has buy-in across the board from all communities and traditions.
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Yes, but we do not want to undermine and kill what is a good initiative.
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Deputy Boyd Barrett raised what is a separate issue really. I would disagree with Deputy-----
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I cannot account for the British-----
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I will come back to Deputy Boyd Barrett another day on that.
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