Water: Statements
Dail Éireann — 2026-01-21
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Peter 'Chap' Cleere (FF), Carlow-Kilkenny

Continuing to grow investment in water service infrastructure is absolutely essential to keep up with and adapt to change and to ensure Ireland meets its economic, social and environmental obligations. I am passionate about rural Ireland. I come from a small place called Skeoughvosteen in the parish of Graiguenamanagh on the Kilkenny-Carlow border. In particular, I want to welcome the new initiative that will allow private sector involvement in developing wastewater systems for smaller housing developments of up to 40 homes. This initiative is a crucial step towards addressing the infrastructure deficit in rural areas, particularly in Carlow-Kilkenny, where housing development has long been restricted by a lack of adequate wastewater facilities. By enabling developers to collaborate with Uisce Éireann on low-volume wastewater systems, the Government is providing a much needed solution that will accelerate housing delivery in areas that are currently stifled by infrastructure bottlenecks. It will help to alleviate some of the pressure on our smaller towns and villages where housing demand has far outpaced the availability of wastewater treatment options. However, this does not mean that Uisce Éireann is off the hook. For instance, in communities where water infrastructure has reached its limit, new housing development stalls, forcing locals to relocate. It creates ripple effects on our schools, shops and GAA clubs as families move and demographics shift.
There are so many issues in my constituency that need to be resolved. We have 14 wastewater treatment plants that need to be upgraded at the moment, in Kilmanagh, Glenmore, Freshford, Dungarvan, Ballyhale, Kells, Fiddown, Piltown, Paulstown, Graiguenamanagh, Bennettsbridge and Windgap, to name but a few. We have a situation in Bennettsbridge right now where they have been waiting years for an upgrade. They have been approved but the works will not be completed until 2030. It is not good enough and it is not acceptable. We have a situation in Inistioge, a village right beside me, where raw sewage is entering the River Nore and nothing has been done about it.
In Mullinavat in south Kilkenny the treatment plant is at full capacity. It urgently needs to be upgraded to allow housing and commercial interests to thrive in the area. Irish Water has been adequately funded over the next number of years with record investment but we need to see more and we need to see delivery now. Housing is the number one social issue and crisis facing the country. Enabling infrastructure such as water will enable us to get more houses built quicker and evenly across the country. We will get a lot more done. While it is so important that we get that increased and record-level investment, delivery is key. That is where the big challenge is. Those in Uisce Éireann need to make sure they are going to deliver these projects on time and with a sense of urgency, which has been lacking up to this particular point.

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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