Vol. 238 Tuesday, No. 1 17 February 2015 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Insert Date Here 17/02/2015A00100Business of Seanad 2 17/02/2015B00200Commencement Matters 3 17/02/2015B00225Commencement Matters 3 17/02/2015B00250Drainage Schemes Status 3 17/02/2015D00100Ambulance Service Provision ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������5 17/02/2015F00500Public Relations Contracts Expenditure 8 17/02/2015O00100Order of Business 11 17/02/2015CC00200Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages 24 SEANAD ÉIREANN Dé Máirt, 17 Feabhra 2015 Tuesday, 17 February 2015 Chuaigh an Cathaoirleach i gceannas ar 230 pm Machnamh agus Paidir. Reflection and Prayer. 17/02/2015A00100Business of Seanad 17/02/2015A00200An Cathaoirleach: I have received notice from Senator Denis O’Donovan that, on the motion for the Commencement of the House today, he proposes to raise the following matter: The need for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to provide an update on the progress of Bandon’s main drainage and sewerage scheme and to confirm, in so far as is practicable, whether Irish Water is changing the consultant’s recom- mendations in favour of the town’s existing and obsolete drainage and sewerage scheme I have also received notice from Senator John Kelly of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to address the need for more paramedics in the west I have also received notice from Senator Rónán Mullen of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to set out the expenditure by the Saolta hospital group on external press relations consultants for the months of January and February to date and to provide details of outstanding invoices received for these months I have also received notice from Senator Colm Burke of the following matter: The need for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to clarify the current position on housing grants which will be made available for the adapta- tion of local authority houses to accommodate individuals within a family with a physical or an intellectual disability I have also received notice from Senator Mary Ann O’Brien of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to provide an update on the Health Research Board’s review of the international evidence on the fluoridation of water and to indicate when its findings are likely to be published, given that they were expected in December 2014. 2 17 February 2015 I have also received notice from Senator Mary M. White of the following matter: The need for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to address as a matter of urgency the case of a homeless family, details supplied, in Sandyford, County Dublin I have also received notice from Senator James Heffernan of the following matter: The need for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to establish an environment ombudsman office to deal with complaints made against the En- vironmental Protection Agency I have also received notice from Senator Thomas Byrne of the following matter: The need for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to urgently reform and implement properly the mortgage-to-rent scheme I regard the matters raised by Senators Denis O’Donovan, John Kelly, Rónán Mullen, Colm Burke, Mary Ann O’Brien, James Heffernan and Thomas Byrne as suitable for discussion I have selected the matters raised by Senators O’Donovan, John Kelly, Rónán Mullen and Colm Burke and they will be taken now Senators Mary Ann O’Brien, James Heffernan and Thomas Byrne may give notice on another day of the matters they wish to raise I regret that I have to rule out of order the matter raised by Senator Mary White as the Minister has no official respon- sibility in the matter Senator Colm Burke has withdrawn his motion 17/02/2015B00200Commencement Matters 17/02/2015B00225Commencement Matters 17/02/2015B00250Drainage Schemes Status 17/02/2015B00300An Cathaoirleach: I welcome the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly 17/02/2015B00400Senator Denis O’Donovan: I thank the Minister for coming to the House to discuss this important issue On 19 November 2009 an appalling event occurred in Bandon town when the River Bandon burst its banks. The resulting flooding was of a type seen approximately once in 100 years, causing extensive damage to homes and premises Many property owners in the town are still unable to obtain insurance against flooding. Residents and business owners are dumbfounded that following a costly obligatory consul- tation process on the development of a new drainage and sewerage scheme for the town, Irish Water has apparently torn up the consultant’s recommendation and instead proposes to pursue a solution based on the existing, obsolete infrastructure It seems the company is trying to get 3 Seanad Éireann away with a rather cheap solution in recommending that a one-pipe system will be adequate In rejecting this proposal, experts, engineers and residents note the irony that while home owners and farmers are obliged to upgrade their septic tanks, Irish Water sees fit to put forward such an anti-environmental solution in the current regulatory climate Will the Minister insist on this second-rate solution not being acceptable in Bandon or any- where else in Ireland? Irish Water should not be allowed to get away with it. If it is a ques- tion of funding alone, where is the money that was ring-fenced for this purpose, with cast iron promises from various Ministers in both the current Government and its predecessor? I was in Bandon in the aftermath of that dire flooding and saw premises under 5 ft. and 6 ft. of water. The townspeople have been extremely patient but I am asking the Minister to give a guarantee today that they will get the best scheme possible and construction will begin sooner rather than later. It is past time this issue was addressed. It is almost six years since that appalling flood and nobody can guarantee that a similar event will not take place along the Bandon river basin If it should do so before the drainage infrastructure is in place, it will be a disaster The related flood relief scheme, which is being dealt with by the Office of Public Works, must also proceed as quickly as possible I hope the Minister will give me good news to take back to west Cork 17/02/2015B00500Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Alan Kelly): I hope to do so I thank the Senator for providing me with the opportunity to outline the current status of wastewater services in Bandon State investment in water services in- frastructure was previously channelled through my Department’s water services investment programme and the rural water programme, a function which is now largely devolved to local authorities The high-level goal of the water services investment programme was to ensure the timing and scale of such investment facilitated economic and other development, compliance with statutory requirements for drinking water and wastewater treatment, and the achievement of environmental sustainability objectives Bandon sewerage scheme phase 2 was included in the last investment programme which ran from 2010 to the end of 2013, with work to be carried out under separate contracts for the network and an upgrade of the wastewater treatment plant as well. As the Senator is no doubt aware, since 1 January 2014 Irish Water has had statutory responsibility for all aspects of water planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels This includes responsibility for the delivery of water services capital infrastruc- ture Shortly after the transfer of responsibilities from local authorities to the new utility, Irish Water published its proposed capital investment plan for the period 2014 to 2016, which is available on its website Under the capital investment plan, investment is prioritised where it can deliver the most urgently needed improvements in drinking water quality, leakage, water availability, wastewater compliance, efficiencies and customer service. The Bandon sewerage scheme is included in the investment plan and Irish Water has pro- vided me with an update on progress on the scheme I understand Bandon is served by a com- bined sewer system which collects storm and foul flows. The network suffers from flooding because it is overloaded and I am aware of the floods to which the Senator referred. The initial design included a two pipe system in the town, with new storm and foul combined sewers For practical reasons, the storm pipes were only capable of removing about 25% of the storm flows from the foul system and did not resolve the flooding problem. Irish Water has redesigned a scheme to fully resolve the flooding problem, comply with re- quired environmental standards and to have capacity for future foul flows if they arise. The ini- 4 17 February 2015 tial design of the scheme would have cost some