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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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Well done,a great days labour…..a lot on here just think you go in past the 1.5million euro security hut, down past the 365 thousand euro bike shed,see the 190 thousand euro fitness instructor for an hour before going off to the heavily subsidised dail bar for a spot of lunch.
@Buster Lawless: haha buster your gas.
@james rowan: lol!( chuckle)
@james rowan: good evening sir, I have no malice whatsoever towards the lady in question and by the sounds of it you are a big fan and I respect that.
I just felt the way he put it altogether was if you like clever and I had a chuckle and hence gas.
Very well said Catherine
@Eoin O Flaherty: Too bad she isn’t as vocal about the urgent necessity to build the bypass and stop the city chocking. Nothing moves in the city most of every day. Everything going east – west and vice versa has to funnell through 3 effective bridges – 2 of which marshelled on both sides by traffic lights. 2 of the 3 bridges were built in the era of ass & carts.
@Ger Murphy: in fairness it was the Greens that put the kybosh on that.
They seem to think massive congestion is good for the environment…
One of the few politicians I admire
@Eddienowy Byrne: in fairness she’s very good.
If only we could have a 13b euro windfall……..
It’s not just Galway. The single biggest infrastructure problem in this country is our water provision and waste water systems. It’s sickening to think how much raw sewage is pumped into our rivers and the sea and the damage its doing to aquatic life and ultimately ourselves. But there’s no votes in water. Noone cares as long as water comes out the taps and they can flush the jacks.
Many of our super confident and knowledgeable politicians have missed operational careers in utilities and house building that would have our country flying
Another reason not to vote for independents who stay in opposition
She might as well howl at the moon
@James Gorman: Catherine Connolly is one of the few td’s of any integrity in the Dáil unlike many Independents who are FFG in all but name
@James Gorman: She’s a great advocate for the people Ireland. Done more with her time as a TD than most of the chancers in government ever did
@James Gorman: And yet this is a failure of government parties, not the independent TD.
If anything, this will be forced to a resolution.by the independent TD *despite* the uncaring government parties.
@James Gorman: Sorry don’t agree.. She is a good TD, has integrity and genuine desire to help her country. We need more like her.
@Hayagriva: just like your man donnelly who was elected as an independent and within a few weeks joined ff and got a job as a minister of some sort, I hope the people who voted for him remember that….
@Darth O’Leary:
She has the luxury of never having to make a decision.
@James Gorman: ah no. She’s a genuinely hard working decent politician.
@James Gorman: Catherine Connolly is one of if not the best politician in the Dail. Truthful, always polite, and honest.
I’m not in her area. Pity we don’t have more like her.
She is respectful of all yet gets her point across. She doesn’t stand at the gates for every photo op when there is something going on.
Ye can say a lot about most wasters in the dail. But she is a good one.
@James Gorman: If she howls at the moon, the moon would listen.
Probably most of the problem comes from vast amounts of rainwater going into the sewage system overwhelming the capacity to safely treat?
Imagine bragging that you completely failed to secure proper funding for your local council during 17 years and blaming the government.
@Alex: but the councils around the country have been charging development levies on new builds since 2006,to pay for all the infrastructure and the house tax since 2013 was another boost to the budgets. So what are they doing with all the money? Pi§§ING it up against a wall like the opw
@P. V. Aglue: not even a wall in the bike shed to piss up against.
Great spot for speech and waffle where no accountability ever happens,reminds me of match of the day were they just talked pure s#### for a while to pass time. Except in there it’s large salaries and expenses talking about problems and not solving them.
The bikes are getting pissed on now as we post.
Well spoken and highlighted but, this situation should also be voiced by and come from the Galway Councillors as it did originally. Unfortunately at the moment some of the Councillors are lost in mediocre or even lesser drum beating like shipwrecks on the shore, or the inconveniences of the Chamber moving to Mervue. Should the situation as outlined by you not be dealt with, then there will be more than Ships on the Shore !
have your say