Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

As the Taoiseach knows, climate change, among other things, results in extreme weather events. One impact and consequence that is becoming apparent in my area, and in other areas with swimming spots around Dublin Bay, is that when we get these torrential downpours the pumping stations that deal with foul water overflow. The good weather of the past week or so has meant thousands of people are swimming. Yesterday, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council had to issue a no-swim notice. This was not because it knows there is pollution but because it is not sure. As a result of the rainfall there are fears of overflows. This has to do with the lack of capacity at the Ringsend sewage treatment plant. For years we have been told it will be upgraded and expanded to address this problem but it has not been done. The consequence now is that even though we will not know until Saturday the test results of the water at Seapoint, Sandycove and other swimming spots, there will be no swimming until the weekend. This is because of the rain. This is a crazy situation and it needs to be addressed with proper investment in the Ringsend plant.

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