Wastewater Treatment
Dail Éireann — 2025-12-16
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Marian Harkin (IND), Sligo-Leitrim

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I am taking this question on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
The Deputy will appreciate, and already knows, the supply of public water and provision of wastewater services in general are matters for Uisce Éireann in the first instance. Uisce Éireann has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level. Neither I nor the Minister, Deputy James Browne have an operational function in the matter to which he refers. However, we have asked Uisce Éireann for an update on his behalf.
First, Uisce Éireann is committed to addressing odour issues and supporting communities impacted by public wastewater infrastructure. As the national water services provider, Uisce Éireann manages approximately 26,000 km of public sewers across Ireland. This extensive network is continually monitored and maintained to ensure it operates effectively and minimises any impact on local communities. In response to complaints relating to odour in the Mulhuddart area specifically, and I think the Deputy referred to this, Uisce Éireann recently undertook significant improvement works upstream to enhance flows from Kilbride, County Meath. These works involved diverting flows away from Church Road and directing them eastwards. This diversion has already delivered a noticeable reduction in odour impacts across the wider area, improving conditions for residents and businesses.
Does the Deputy know if this has had any impact? Some of what he has said is it seems to come and go. I am not sure what he is saying but certainly, if that is the case, that needs to be brought to the attention of Uisce Éireann because he is right, it is not good enough. However, further measures are planned for early in the new year to build on this progress, and I hope there has been some progress. These include sealing the old pipeline that is now disused following the diversion. Once sealed, the old manhole chambers will also be filled with concrete, eliminating potential sources of odour and further improving the local environment. While I personally know nothing about the specific situation, I believe that should be prioritised.
It is important to note Uisce Éireann is responsible for the public wastewater network only. Odours arising from private side dwellings or internal plumbing fall outside its remit. However, it remains committed to investigating any reported issues within the public network and implementing solutions where required. Uisce Éireann teams continually review the network to identify opportunities for improvement and ensure that communities experience the highest possible standard of service. Uisce Éireann has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. I do not need to tell the Deputy what the email is and there is also a dedicated telephone number. Finally, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, also provides a free complaint resolution service for customers who have submitted a complaint to Uisce Éireann and are unhappy with the outcome. Again, I presume I am telling the Deputy what he already knows but it does provide solutions.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2025-12-16/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:28+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-12-16