Water: Statements
Dail Éireann — 2026-01-21
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Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (SF), Wicklow-Wexford

Data from the EPA makes for frightening reading in terms of the quality of our water and the need for proper wastewater and water treatment plants. Avoca, in my local area, is one of 15 locations in Ireland where raw sewage is still being discharged every day, as identified by the EPA. Avoca must be prioritised as a village for upgrading. We were also promised progress with the long-awaited new state-of-the-art treatment plant in Arklow, yet it has now emerged that part of Arklow Harbour is not connected to this new plant. As a result, high levels of E. coli are still being detected in the river, so raw sewage continues to flow directly into the harbour and the River Avoca at Arklow.
I have contacted Uisce Éireann on three separate occasions seeking answers, but a satisfactory reply has yet to come. Connecting the remaining areas to the system must be a priority for Arklow. The Arklow community groups, watersports clubs and young people who use it deserve to have clean, safe water and not sewage.
Meanwhile, the beautiful village of Aughrim has long needed a new wastewater treatment plant to support future development in housing. I have been working with some local business owners for some time on the issue and thankfully there is progress. Uisce Éireann has confirmed to me that the Aughrim project is moving forward to a final design with a planning application expected within the year. Following this positive news, we had the recent purchase of the historic but derelict Lawless' Hotel, which once redeveloped will breathe new life back into the village as well as the wider community of south-west Wicklow.
In County Wexford, both Ferns and Camolin urgently need new wastewater treatment facilities. Existing plants are at capacity, blocking desperately needed housing developments and also affecting local school numbers in Camolin National School and putting additional pressure on the River Bann and local waterways. Camolin residents have spent more than 20 years waiting for proper wastewater treatment infrastructure. A new plant in Ferns with increased capacity to serve Camolin must be a priority for the Minister of State, so I hope he will take note of that.
We cannot ignore the growing pressure on our rivers and estuaries such as the River Cloghoge at upper Avonmore, and the Avoca river estuary, which continues to have excessive levels of copper, zinc and cadmium. These are all affecting the environment. Water is so crucial. It is the source of all life. Our communities depend on crystal clear, clean water, and not heavily fluoridated, heavily chlorinated, cloudy, terrible tasting liquid. Protecting our waterways is not optional; it is an absolute necessity.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-01-21/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-31T01:00:51+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-21