Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I raise the ongoing boil water notice impacting on people in the Macroom, Carrigadrohid and Canovee area. It has been in place since last August. There was a short reprieve and, bang, it was down again within five days. That is putting pressure on local residents, who have to boil or buy water, for a prolonged period.

Last night I met Siobhán, who outlined her fear at not being able to trust the water and not being able to wash a head of lettuce or brush her teeth. She cannot depend on the quality of the water; she has to boil it. Others have to buy bottled water and there is a cost associated with that. This goes on and on.

This is not a recent development. It is a situation we saw each winter in recent years. Last winter, the boil water notice lasted about seven weeks. The winter before that, it was closer to ten weeks. There was a boil water notice before that as well. That is an ongoing cost, stress and hassle for residents. They are asking reasonable questions about what Irish Water is doing to deal with this and what the solution is. Will this go on forever?

The communications with Irish Water are poor enough. I give it credit for the text system that is now set up so that residents are made aware when a boil water notice comes in. Yippee, you know when you are being hit. The answers we want from Irish Water concern the pathway out of this, what it is doing to resolve it, what steps are being taken and when people can depend on the water quality in the Canovee, Carrigadrohid and Macroom area.

We are aware of steps taken in previous years. Last winter, a UV filter was installed to give them greater faith in their water-testing capability. Despite that, a boil water notice came on this August. Typically, the notices we have unfortunately been seeing were later in the year. Now there is one as early as August as they face a winter, possibly into January, without faith in the water and having to buy or boil it and the cost and hassle that goes with that.

People in Macroom, Carrigadrohid and Canovee deserve some answers from Irish Water. What is it doing to ensure quality, safe water? What is its plan? When can people have faith in the water in the tap? When will they be in a position not to have to buy or boil water? They are reasonable questions and Irish Water should be able to communicate on that. If there is any update from Irish Water, we would be keen to hear it.

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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It is a most reasonable request and I am sorry the Deputy has to raise it persistently on behalf of his constituents. I note what he has said about communication with Irish Water-Uisce Éireann, whose services continue to improve yet have room for further improvement.

As the Deputy is aware, the operation of Macroom public water supply is a matter for Uisce Éireann, which has statutory responsibility for all water services planning, delivery and operation.

In turn, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, is responsible for setting quality standards and enforcing compliance with EU directives on the provision of drinking water.

As the Deputy stated, the boil water notice in place for the Macroom public water supply was issued on 27 August last following consultation with the HSE. As the public health authority, it is the HSE's decision to issue boil water or do not consume notices. The notice in question was lifted on 25 September. Unfortunately, as the Deputy pointed out, following the adverse weather experienced in County Cork the weekend before last, a further boil water notice had to be issued on 30 September. That notice is still in place. It was issued because of the supply shortage in the raw water source and the difficulties with the clarity and cleanliness of the water. I believe "increased turbidity" is the phrase used in that world.

The notice was issued to protect the health of approximately 4,194 customers served by the Macroom public water supply. The Deputy is aware that customers can check if their properties are included by visiting . Uisce Éireann has indicated that it understands the impact a boil water notice can have on a local community. I understand that its crews are working to lift the notice as quickly and as safely as possible. This is being done in consultation with the HSE. With continued high demand on the supply, the reservoir is only now refilling. It is necessary to fully replenish the reservoir to ensure stable operating conditions can be restored at the water treatment plant, which would allow the lifting of the boil water notice.

The priority of the Government is to ensure that people’s health is protected and that adequate water is available for all consumers. Everybody wants to see the notice lifted without undue delay, but this can only happen when the HSE and EPA have confirmed that the water supply is safe.

The Deputy correctly asked about what can be done in the longer term. Investment in Uisce Éireann has reached a record level of more than €2.7 billion to allow it meet the cost of delivering water services in 2025. However, as the Deputy will be aware, that has to translate to delivery on the ground. I am sure that is his priority on behalf of his constituents.

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for the reply and the various details supplied. She indicated that crews are out working to facilitate the lifting of the boil water notice. It would be very reasonable for people locally to know what it is the crews are doing. What is Irish Water doing? What action is being taken? What did Irish Water do have the original boil water notice lifted on 25 September? Surely it should be able to provide some indication of what action, if any, it took in that regard.

People do not have faith in what is happening. Again and again they have been put on boil water notices and told little or nothing else. They are told to boil water, buy water and stay out of Irish Water’s way. That is not good enough. People need to know they can depend on the quality of the water supplied. They also need to know from the supplier what action is going to be taken and what is the long-term plan. Those are very reasonable expectations. It has been so frustrating for locals in Canovee, Carrigadrohid and Macroom town and its hinterland. They are enduring the necessity of boiling and buying water. They do not know how long they will need to do so. Previous boil water notices have been in place for two to three months. They have always been in place in winter. We have been subject to one since August and it is possible that we will face more in the winter ahead. That is not fair to locals. Irish Water needs to be upfront and tell people what it is it is doing, how it is going to solve this problem in the long term and how it will bring about that solution as quickly as possible. The ongoing situation is just not good enough. People in Macroom, Carrigadrohid and Canovee deserve better from Irish Water.

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I could not agree more. It appears that the issues which give rise to the necessity for boil water notices can be easily understood and communicated. They can sometimes be persistent. I have an issue in my area whereby after very heavy rainfall, people are aware that there will some difficulties for a very particular reason and that there is a longer term strategy to remedy the problem. While it is inconvenient, that at least provides some understanding as to the background issues.

Given the persistence of these issues, I would have thought that Irish Water would have communicated with the Deputy in the first instance and that it should not be necessary for him to be here at 9.55 p.m. on a Tuesday evening to get answers on behalf of his constituents. Uisce Éireann should have been more proactive in communicating very clearly to the Deputy precisely what it is doing, why it is doing it, what the science behind it is, what the medium-term plan is and what the longer term plan is. Uisce Éireann has a responsibility to engage with Deputies on a case-by-case basis, especially where there are persistent difficulties. This is by no means the first Topical Issue or Commencement matter relating to Uisce Éireann that I have dealt with. It seems perfectly obvious that it could dramatically improve its communications with the Deputy, as a public representative, and with Members of this House in general before they have to come here and ask questions. Deputies are asking questions on behalf of their constituents, and there should be a much better system in place. There may be perfectly reasonable answers that could be given and understood in order that people could monitor what is happening over time. The latter is very difficult, however, if Uisce Éireann does not provide the relevant information to the Deputy, as a local representative.