Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 23 Nov 2022

Vol. 1029 No. 7

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate

Health Promotion

Deputy Colm Burke

I ask the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, if consideration can be given to the introduction of additional nationwide organised screening programmes for two of the four major cancers in Ireland, namely, prostate cancer and lung cancer, taking into account that the national screening programmes for breast cancer, cervical cancer and colorectal cancer have led to the early detection of cases in recent decades, and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The screening programmes, BreastCheck, CervicalCheck and BowelCheck, have been successful despite all of the criticism of them. It is important we recognise the people who have been at the forefront in pushing those programmes forward and those working on the front line. Looking at cancer diagnoses, prostate cancer accounts for 16% of all cancer diagnoses in Ireland, while across the European Union it is 13%. Lung cancer accounts for 11% of diagnoses here and 12% of diagnoses across the European Union. Between 1995 and 2019, the number of cancer cases increased by more than 100%. If the increase in population is taken into account, the crude rate of increase in cancer cases is 48%, with a 52% increase among men and a 43% increase among women. Cancer mortality in Ireland also increased from 7,500 deaths in 1995 to 9,300 deaths in 2018. The reason is that people are living longer and therefore the rate of cancer in older people is also increasing. With people living longer, more cases of cancer will be identified, which is the reason for the increase in the number of people who have died of cancer.

It is predicted that cancer rates will increase from 27,000 in 2020 to 42,000 in 2040. We need to put in place mechanisms to identify cancers at a very early stage. One issue relates to prostate cancer and lung cancer. The National Screening Advisory Committee, NSAC, has received 53 submissions over the past 12 months and I understand it will announce and publish details of these submissions and the way forward. We now need to give serious consideration to this matter and be proactive. If we are not doing screening programmes in other areas, we need to identify what the symptoms are because many people end up taking action too late. Dealing with cancers that are far advanced then becomes a difficult challenge for the people caring for these patients. We need major public information campaigns for each of the cancers and the symptoms. When I was reading documentation before raising this matter, issues were identified to me that I was not aware of. I ask the Minister of State to give serious consideration to this proposal.

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Anne Rabbitte)

I thank Deputy Colm Burke for raising this matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. The Minister is committed to supporting our national population-based screening programmes. As we all know, screening saves lives and it is important that decisions on the introduction of new screening programmes are made in line with international best practices. As the Deputy may know, decisions about the introduction of new population-based screening programmes in Ireland are made on the advice of the National Screening Advisory Committee. This independent expert committee makes recommendations to the Minister and the Department on population screening in Ireland. As may be appreciated, the assessment of the evidence for making changes to screening programmes is a thorough process done in line with international accepted criteria and with scientific rigour. In addition to the scientific and technological information required to make evidence-based decisions, there are ethical, legal and societal issues which arise when planning enduring population-based programmes of this nature.

The NSAC works closely with the HSE, HIQA, clinicians and patient advocates in its approach to the consideration of expansion of population-based screening in Ireland. Its first annual call in 2021 for proposals for new screening programmes or changes to our existing programmes received a significant response. As the Deputy correctly stated, a total of 53 submissions were received, including on lung cancer and prostate cancer.

Submissions were received from various sources, including members of the public and patient advocates, and these underwent consideration by the committee at its scheduled meeting during 2022. The NSAC intends to publish its full work programme shortly.

As the Deputy may be aware, under Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, a proposal for an updated Council recommendation was adopted by the Commission in September 2022. The final recommendation is expected to be formally approved by the Council of the European Union in December 2022 and published thereafter. The NSAC will consider the recommendation and advise the Minister and the Department of Health on the evidence as it applies to Ireland.

As the Deputy noted, our current programmes have led to the early detection of cancers. The latest cancer trends report, published recently by the National Cancer Registry Ireland, focuses on cancers that are currently screened for. It reports on the incidence, mortality, stage and survival of patients diagnosed with female breast cancer, cervical cancer and colorectal cancer. The report shows the positive impacts of our three cancer screening programmes, namely, BowelScreen, BreastCheck and CervicalCheck, noting that they are effective, that they are detecting cancers earlier and that they are saving lives. The report shows that cancer cases detected through screening were, on average, found at a substantially earlier stage than other cases diagnosed at the same ages. More important, survival has improved for all three cancers, with the greatest improvements seen in the age groups targeted by the national screening programmes.

In light of all this, I trust the public can be assured of the ongoing commitment of both the Minister and me to the further expansion of population-based screening in Ireland, along with the awareness campaigns the Deputy highlighted.

Deputy Colm Burke

I very much look forward to the European Commission publishing its report and the recommendations in that regard. It is important we lead out in respect of those recommendations. I accept there is a cost factor and also an issue with recruiting people to deal with any changes that are brought about, but if we have a screening programme, we will save a great deal of money in the long term. The Minister of State mentioned the three screening programmes that are in operation, and it is important we talk positively about them. There has been much adverse coverage of the way some issues have been managed, but we are getting good results and identifying issues at an earlier stage. The public information aspect is very important, and we should focus in all areas of cancer on the essential signs and the reasons people need to go for checks. I ask that that be taken on board seriously by the Department.

I look forward to the report of the advisory council with a view to going forward with new screening programmes, not least in respect of lung and prostate cancer.

Deputy Anne Rabbitte

I reiterate that the NSAC will consider the final European Council recommendations on cancer screening and advise the Minister and the Department of Health on the evidence as it applies to Ireland. The NSAC is committed to ensuring the expansion of population-based screening in Ireland in a safe, ethical, robust and evidence-based manner. The introduction of a new population-based screening programme, therefore, can be a lengthy and complex process and can be possible only after a full evidential assessment has been completed against internationally accepted criteria and with scientific rigour. These programmes aim to reduce morbidity and mortality in the population through the early detection of disease and treatment, both of which greatly improve health outcomes. It is important, therefore, to take up the offer of screening, which is free and simple and could save lives. The Minister is committed to the further expansion of screening in accordance with internationally accepted criteria and best practice.

I stress that awareness campaigns are very important, as is the infrastructure in our hospitals to be able to support them. As someone who comes from Galway, where we do not have that infrastructure, I fully concur it is important to have not only screening but also the relevant infrastructure in our A4 hospitals.

Deputy Colm Burke

I might just add that the comparative report on cancer in Ireland published by IHE, a Swedish institute, sets out clear comparisons. We should also learn from those kinds of reports to develop new strategies for cancer care in this country. While we have achieved a lot, we still have a lot to learn in this area.

General Practitioner Services

Deputy Jackie Cahill

The issue I raise relates to Shannondoc services in north Tipperary. It is a follow-up to a parliamentary question I tabled a couple of weeks ago. In Tipperary, there are three centres, comprising one core centre in Nenagh and regional centres in Thurles and Roscrea. As the Minister of State will know well, given my constituency stretches into her home town of Portumna, the geographical area of north Tipperary is just too large for one core centre to cover efficiently. This is in no way a criticism of the staff of the HSE, who are doing a very good job in Shannondoc providing a service, but it is unfair on the staff and the population of north Tipperary to have just one core centre. Will the Minister of State ask the HSE to make Thurles a core centre as well? The area, which stretches from Lauragh to Gortnahoe, is very large, with a lot of rural countryside. Expecting that one core centre could provide an adequate service for the area is unacceptable.

The core centre in Nenagh opens from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m., but the two regional centres open only from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends and public holidays. That is just not providing the cover we need in north Tipperary. I have been contacted by numerous constituents stressing that when they get through to Shannondoc, they do not get a level of service that is satisfactory for patients. It is about the geographical size of north County Tipperary. It is just impractical to expect one core centre to cover the entire county, from Nenagh to Lauragh and Portumna and then back to Gortnahoe, which is a huge area. The fact that just one core centre operates at night in that area means it cannot provide the level of service we rightly expect from Shannondoc. The staff are doing their very best, but if butter is spread too thin, it affects the service that is provided.

I urge the HSE to consider making Thurles a core centre to cover the southern part of north Tipperary. If this improvement were made and the resources put in place, that would greatly impact on the services Shannondoc could provide to north Tipperary. I ask the Minister of State to convey this message to the HSE and urge it to seriously consider providing a second core centre in Tipperary.

Deputy Anne Rabbitte

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Health. Of course, people can become unwell outside of normal GP practice hours and may require urgent GP care, so it is important they have access to out-of-hours GP services when needed. Accordingly, general practitioners who hold General Medical Services, GMS, contracts for the provision of services to medical card and GP visit card holders are required under their contract to make suitable arrangements for emergencies outside normal practice hours. More than 2,500 GPs currently hold a GMS contract, and while they are not obliged to practise in GP out-of-hours co-operatives to meet their outside-of-practice hours service requirements, most do so. A robust GP out-of-hours services ensures that, insofar as possible, urgent care needs are met in the community and not in a hospital setting.

The Shannondoc co-operative provides GP out-of-hours services for Limerick, north Tipperary and Clare. As with the other GP out-of-hours co-operatives, Shannondoc is a private organisation. However, the HSE provides significant funding to support out-of-hours co-operative services through service level agreements, with Shannondoc having received almost €5 million in HSE funding in 2022.

The HSE is in regular contact with all out-of-hours service providers to ensure that these services continue to meet the needs of their local communities. The HSE has advised that Shannondoc has fully reinstated all services in line with service levels pre-Covid and that service delivery is in line with the service level agreement in place with the HSE.

Shannondoc has never provided an overnight service from its Thurles treatment centre, which, as the Deputy has said, operates from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. midweek and from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. at weekends and on public holidays. Since March 2020, Shannondoc has operated an enhanced model of care with the introduction of mobile doctors, remote doctors and core treatment centre doctors. If a doctor is not present in a regional treatment centre such as the Thurles centre, a mobile doctor, who I hear is based in Nenagh, will be available to patients if required. This model is co-ordinated by dispatchers and nurses. Following triage to identify the immediate needs of the patient, the mobile doctor will attend the patient's preferred treatment centre, where possible, or the patient will be offered an appointment at the nearest available treatment centre. ShannonDoc has confirmed that, where there is increased demand in certain areas, support teams can be deployed from other locations, ensuring services are provided where most needed.

Furthermore, alongside an increase in HSE out-of-hours co-operative funding for next year to meet existing levels of service increases, additional funding of €10 million is being made available under the winter plan to support GP practices and out-of-hours services providers over this busy winter period. The HSE has confirmed that, in the near future, Shannondoc services will operate from the new Thurles community primary care centre. It is expected that services will move to this centre by the end of this year and that the existing level of service will be retained.

That is the script the Minister has provided to me but, in my experience, going from the bridge in Portumna to Thurles takes one hour and 15 minutes if I drive handily and that is not from the end of the Deputy's county. I cannot imagine what it is like for a patient who is waiting for support. What I am hearing is that we have one main cell in the whole of Tipperary. That is not how Westdoc operates. There are a number of cells, a number of cars and a number of GPs covering the roster. A red-eye shift is provided but there is also weekend cover. I suggest that the Deputy meet with the HSE in his locality and with Shannondoc to see how business cases could be submitted in future to ensure that all cells in his county are covered.

Deputy Jackie Cahill

The last part of the Minister of State's answer showed that she fully understands the issue and the problem in north Tipperary. As she said, we have a brand new primary healthcare centre in Thurles. It was officially opened by the Taoiseach a couple of weeks ago. It would be an ideal location for a core centre in the town of Thurles. It is a matter of geography. As the Minister of State said, it is an hour and a quarter from Portumna to Thurles but the north Tipperary region stretches another 15 miles or so beyond Thurles into Gortnahoe and Ballysloe. It is physically impossible to give an adequate service at night-time. From 11 p.m. to 8 a.m., we only have one core centre in north Tipperary. It is just not physically possible to get to patients in ample time no matter how hard the doctors on duty try.

I will take on board the Minister of State's point about holding negotiations with Shannondoc at the local level to see how its services could be revamped to provide better cover geographically to the whole of north Tipperary. That core centre in Thurles would give the extra resources and would divide north Tipperary into two regions. If that was done, we would be able to adequately cover north Tipperary and provide the night service that people rightly expect and demand of the HSE in modern-day Ireland.

Deputy Anne Rabbitte

I will conclude with the script. The Government recognises the need for a strong out-of-hours GP service, a key component in the delivery of primary care services. The Government continues to support GPs and out-of-hours providers in their continued provision of GP services. The HSE provides substantial funding to GP out-of-hours co-operatives to help enable them to fulfil their service commitments and care for their patients. This year, almost €5 million in funding has been allocated to Shannondoc through a service level agreement with the HSE's mid-west community healthcare organisation. The HSE has confirmed that Shannondoc has fully reinstated services to their pre-Covid levels. Under the Shannondoc enhanced model of care, where a doctor is not present in a regional treatment centre such as the Thurles centre, a mobile doctor will be available to the patients. Again, from what I have heard, that mobile doctor is based in Nenagh. Shannondoc services will soon operate from the new primary care centre in Thurles.

From my experience of having recently negotiated a new GP out-of-hours cell for the Ballinasloe area with Westdoc, I know that the nurse support is absolutely fantastic. However, despite all this triage, in eight out of ten cases the patient will still have to see a GP. While the nurse will triage, there is still a requirement to see a GP. It is not enough to have only one GP covering out-of-hours services for the entirety of Tipperary. In Galway alone, we have eight cells. It does not seem adequate for Tipperary to be operating with only one.

Animal Welfare

Deputy Martin Browne

I asked to raise this topic today because the Department seems to be unable to properly address the question I put to the Minister before. I will give an example. PAWS Animal Rescue is based in Mullinahone in County Tipperary, my constituency. At the moment, it is looking after greyhounds and lurchers among 13 different breeds of dog. That is just one snapshot in time. Like similar organisations and dog shelters right across the country, it operates on a shoestring budget. The measly grants given to such organisations are just not good enough. Last year, the Department allocated €48,500 towards PAWS Animal Rescue's costs but, as the Minister knows, that goes nowhere near covering the costs of these organisations. To give an example, so far this year, PAWS has paid €147,000 in veterinary bills. It has another outstanding bill of €55,000. The Minister of State can see how the small grant of €48,500 is swallowed up. It goes into its bank account one hour and is gone the next. If the animal welfare grant remains unchanged from last year, it will go into PAWS Animal Rescue's account and then straight back out, as I have said. It is still in debt. That is the extent of what the money will do for it. It appreciates the grants but they are just not adequate, nor do they reflect the extent of the work the organisation does or the cost of doing it.

The Minister of State will have heard that the pressure on animal welfare organisations has been increasing in recent times for various reasons. We are now coming into Christmas and I urge people not to buy pups or other pets for children. If they are looking for something, they should go to these shelters because buying animals will only add more pressure at the end of the Christmas season. The situation at PAWS has been such that it has recently had to close its doors to any new animals being brought in because it just has no room and lacks the funds it needs.

I asked the Minister a parliamentary question and he responded that "Awards for funding are made on the basis of objective criteria, including the level and type of assistance provided by the organisation in the delivery of care and welfare services to animals and the level of funding raised by organisations from other sources to support welfare activities." I have a number of issues with that response. I was hoping the Minister would be here so that he could tell us what these objective criteria actually are. I hope I will be forgiven for saying that this is hardly appropriate given that the needs of each centre are subject to demand, the needs of dogs that are presented and the range of costs incurred. I would also appreciate if the Minister could give an answer as to precisely how these grant applications are assessed, either through the Minister of State's reply now or in writing later on. That is the question all of these organisations ask me. I am sure they ask other Deputies the same question. I am looking for a detailed response on that.

The Minister also referred to a programme for Government commitment to provide additional support for animal welfare. While the headline figure of €3.7 million may reflect an increase, I have been informed that 12 rescue centres received no increase in funding this year.

For them, the Minister's statement is meaningless. Perhaps the Minister of State will fill us in on that issue and let us know why 12 centres did not receive any funding increase.

I hope the sentiments expressed at the animal welfare seminar held on 5 October will be reflected in the funding for the coming year. What I expect to happen, however, is that the Department's approach will follow in the same vein as in previous years. Following that seminar, what can these organisations expect in December?

Minister of State at the Department of Education (Deputy Josepha Madigan)

I thank the Deputy for raising this Topical Issue matter. On behalf of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, I acknowledge the fantastic effort and commitment of animal welfare organisations and the many volunteers dedicated to the care and welfare of canines, who often operate, as the Deputy said, in challenging and stressful circumstances. Animal welfare charities play a crucial role in helping animals in need, educating people and raising public awareness about improving animal welfare. In many cases, it is more than a job and a career; it is a vocation. The Government thanks all those in the sector for their tremendous efforts.

Animal welfare is increasingly important to people in Ireland and it a priority for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. We are ever more aware of the inter-relationship between the welfare of animals and human well-being. This is reflected in the publication of Ireland's first animal welfare strategy last year titled, Working Together for Animal Welfare: Ireland's Animal Welfare Strategy 2021-2025. Protecting and enhancing animal welfare standards is the responsibility of everyone in our society, including those who own and care for animals.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's animal welfare grants programme, referred to by the Deputy, is a clear acknowledgement of the vital work of animal welfare charities. On animal welfare awareness day last December, record animal welfare grant funding of over €3.7 million to 29 animal welfare organisations was announced. Of this funding, €2.7 million, or more than two thirds, was awarded to 68 organisations that deal with the welfare and rehoming of dogs. The Minister, Deputy McConalogue, intends to deliver on the programme for Government commitment to further increase the funding allocated via the grants programme in 2022. Further details of these awards will be announced next month.

Applications for annual funding from animal welfare organisations are assessed carefully and awards are made on the basis of objective criteria. I will ask the Minister to revert to the Deputy directly in respect of these criteria. They include the level and type of assistance provided by the organisation in the delivery of care and welfare services to animals and the level of funding raised by organisations from other sources to support welfare activities.

As with last year's awards, this year's funding will recognise the importance of education and the dissemination of knowledge to improve animal welfare. Imparting knowledge on animal welfare to society as a whole plays a crucial role in improving standards nationally and is particularly relevant for encouraging responsible pet ownership, which can help reduce the number of dogs abandoned or surrendered to charities. As with all applicants, the organisation in question was assessed under this robust process and criteria and, as the Deputy stated, it was awarded €48,500 last December to assist in funding the care and welfare of animals in 2022.

I will bring the points the Deputy raised in respect of veterinary bills and the approach of Christmas to the attention of the Minister. I also note that he wishes to know how the grants will be assessed. He also mentioned that 12 centres did not receive any increase in funding. I will raise those matters with the Minister.

The organisation in question is mainly involved with the care and rehoming of greyhounds. The Department provides dedicated financial support under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund to Rásaíocht Con Éireann, RCÉ, the statutory body responsible for the operation and regulation of the greyhound industry. Private greyhound rehoming organisations in Ireland may, through RCÉ's registered charity, the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust, seek assistance towards costs incurred in the preparation of greyhounds for rehoming. The organisation in question is urged to avail of this funding opportunity.

Deputy Martin Browne

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. I note the Minister of State has been sent in by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and that she is reading from his script. Organisations such as PAWS Animal Rescue throughout the country are struggling big time with funding. As I said, it is already €55,000 in debt to vets after receiving its grants. The Minister of State referred to the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust. Speaking to vets, it is clear that the meagre funding provided for such procedures is not worth the amount of paperwork required. For vets to continue to provide the level of documentation required would cost the organisation more than the value of the funds contributed towards the procedure in question.

It is easy to say that that funding is being provided but, as I said, we are a couple of weeks away from Christmas. In January and February, we will see another increase in unwanted pets which were bought as Christmas presents and have been rejected afterwards. If centres such as PAWS Rescue Centre have already closed their doors, what will things be like come February, March and April? I appreciate the Minister will provide animal welfare grants on 8 December. I remind him that he stood before many small animal welfare groups in early October and told them how much he respected their work. Unfortunately, he did not respect them enough to send out invitations to more than just a few of them to attend the announcement on 8 December. Perhaps this might be an oversight on the part of the Department but the Minister has plenty of time to send out invitations to some of the smaller groups.

I appreciate that the Minister of State has come to the House to answer some of my questions. I ask that she relay to the Minister some of the concerns I have raised, which need to addressed quickly. Organisations such as PAWS Animal Rescue, which is already €55,000 in debt, also need to be assisted.

Deputy Josepha Madigan

It is also important to note that the programme for Government includes a commitment to promote responsible pet ownership. In speaking about the period after Christmas, the Deputy makes a valid point. This commitment is being advanced by cross-divisional co-ordination within the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on various aspects relating to pet ownership. A multi-stakeholder council, the advisory council on companion animal welfare, has met on three occasions this year already. It includes non-governmental organisations, individuals and professionals with a diverse range of skill sets and expertise and is to advise the Minister on matters relating to companion animals. The council will continue to provide him with expert advice on companion animal issues, including guidance on policymaking regarding the welfare of canines.

The Minister has asked me to make it known that he strongly acknowledges the work of the dedicated officials in his Department on animal welfare and the authorised officers in other organisations with whom they frequently co-operate, including An Garda Síochána, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ISPCA, the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, DSPCA, and customs officials, in enforcing animal welfare legislation. The Government will continue to place the highest priority on animal welfare. I commend again the tremendous work done by those who work for charities.

As I mentioned, the Minister intends to deliver on the programme for Government commitment to further increase the funding allocated via the grants programme in 2022. Further details of these awards will be announced next month. I will take the various points the Deputy made in his contribution back to the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. If they have any outstanding queries, I am sure they will revert to the Deputy in respect of them.

Water Services

Deputy Pat Buckley

I thank the Minister of State for attending. This is the fourth time I have raised a Topical Issue matter on boil water notices in east Cork. Many Deputies are lucky to be able to raise four Topical Issue matters in one year.

I want to paint a picture by referring to recent newspaper headlines, including in the Irish Examiner: "Urgent boil water notice issued for Whitegate area of Cork after 'inadequate disinfection' at plant" is a headline from February 2020. The headline, "Numbers affected by long-term by boilwater notices double by year's end", appeared in May 2022, while the headline, "Thousands affected by new boil water notice", appeared in October 2022. These refer only to the Whitegate area in east Cork. Another piece - I believe it was in corkbeo.ie - was headlined "'It’s horrendous’: Cork villagers count the cost of creaky water system".

That was in October 2022 in Killavullen in north Cork. The areas I am talking about here are Aghada, Churchtown, Ballycotton, Saleen, Shanagarry, Ballinacurra and areas of Cloyne. It is nearly from Whitegate oil refinery all the way over towards Youghal. It is a very rural area.

Every time there has been a boil water notice in east Cork, I have been on to Irish Water. I remember one particular letter I received, which definitely came from an elderly person. It came in an envelope but the letter was written on the back of another envelope inside it. It is was pleading with me to get Irish Water to sort this out because it was costing them an awful lot of money. In Churchtown, which is a very rural area, there is a very large care home. It costs a lot of money to go to the shops to buy water. While others were speaking earlier, a woman has already been on to me to say that this will be her second Christmas having to boil water. I have asked Irish Water to put in tankers or at least have something. If it has a duty to supply proper drinking water and is responsible for the quality of water in the area, surely it can supply something that would not be at a cost to the people who use these services. The frustration there is very clear. A family were in touch with me with a young autistic child who cannot fathom how they are supposed to take a bottle of water into the bathroom in the morning when they go to brush their teeth. It is taking normality out of some families' lives.

I think this has been ongoing for nearly three years. Some 9,500 people - the bones of 10,000 people - are affected. Every time we go to Irish Water, we are told it is a question of turbidity in the water. It has had three to four years to build a higher wall around this plant. I know it is working on a plant but the worrying thing is that it does not seem to be forward planning for capacity issues. East Cork probably has the fasting growing population in the country. It is a disgrace that Irish Water is putting a treatment plant in White Bay. It is called White Bay for a reason; because it is a beautiful white beach. The treatment plant that it is putting there certainly will not meet future capacity and will not put clean water back into the bay. It is really frustrating.

I speak on behalf of the people I represent in east Cork. I will not use choice words but the Minister of State will know what I would like to say in here: they are very something-ed off about it. It is very frustrating for me as a public representative to have to come in here and make the case to a Minister of State because Irish Water will not engage. When it does, it is dismissive. The least it can do is to supply free drinking water to the nearly 10,000 residents in east Cork, and those in Killavullen in north Cork, so that they can have some bit of normality. Things are getting very expensive here and to have the added stress of going to draw water is just driving people mad.

Deputy Josepha Madigan

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I am taking the question on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke. This is an issue of national and local importance. I appreciate the Deputy's concerns for communities affected by boil water notices. I can hear his frustration on behalf of his constituents.

The Deputy will appreciate that the operation of Whitegate regional public water supply is a matter for Irish Water. I know he has had engagements with it. Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has had statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. In turn, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, as environmental regulator is responsible for setting quality standards and enforcing compliance with EU directives and national regulations for the provision of drinking water. I understand from inquiries made with Irish Water that the boil water notice currently in place for the Whitegate public water supply was issued on 29 October 2022 following consultation between Irish Water, Cork County Council and the HSE. This boil water notice was issued to protect approximately 9,500 customers in Whitegate, Aghada, Churchtown, Ballycotton, Saleen, Shanagarry, Ballinacurra and areas of Cloyne. The notice was issued as a result of increased turbidity in the raw water, which can happen at this source as it is susceptible to raw water quality issues after rainfall events. Boil water notices have been issued for the Whitegate public water supply on a number of occasions in recent years, as the Deputy mentioned.

In the short term, upgrade works to the filters are under way and additional parts are on order, with delivery expected by the end of December. Following the implementation of these measures, the HSE will be asked to confirm that the criteria for lifting the boil water notice are met. The delivery of a new water treatment plant, as the permanent solution to the issues at Whitegate, is under way. I know the Deputy is aware of that. Irish Water is in the process of preparing an application for planning permission and engagement with prospective contractors has commenced. It is envisaged that the planning application will be lodged in the first quarter of 2023. Subject to the planning permission being granted by July 2023, the construction contract will be signed in the fourth quarter of 2023 with construction mobilised in the first quarter of 2024. The construction work would be due for completion in the last quarter of 2025. The information and data that are necessary to demonstrate that the new plant meets all applicable standards will be submitted to the EPA for its consideration for removal of the plant from the remedial action list.

The priority of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is to ensure that people's health is protected and that adequate water is available for all consumers. We all want to see this notice lifted without undue delay, but only when the HSE and the EPA have confirmed the water supply is safe. Both our water and wastewater systems require substantial and sustained investment to bring the systems up to the quality and resilience standards required of a modem service, to provide for population growth and to build resilience in the face of climate change. As part of budget 2023, the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, secured funding of over €1.65 billion to support water services. This includes €1.56 billion in respect of domestic water services provision by Irish Water. This overall investment will deliver significant improvements in our public water and wastewater services; support improved water supplies right across Ireland, including rural Ireland; and support a range of programmes aimed at delivering improved water quality in our rivers, lakes and marine area, thereby making a significant contribution to addressing Ireland's needs.

Deputy Pat Buckley

The public water supply is a matter for Irish Water. If it will not work with us or facilitate people, who do we go to? That is the problem. The response mentioned 2025. We are in 2022 so that is another three years of people buying water, drawing water and enduring frustration. I appeal to Irish Water to get its finger out and start forward planning to help these people. It is extremely important.

I was amused by the mention of filters in the response. When I raised this before - I think it was in May - the problem of accessing these filters was mentioned. I said it then and I will say it again that they probably would have a better chance of getting these filters more quickly from wish.com. I get the same response every time I raise this matter during a Topical Issue debate. It feels like there is incompetence in Irish Water. I worked in construction. If you are a foreman, you have responsibilities, like in any job. Why is it so difficult to organise something properly or plan forward properly? The issue is here. If there is a chance of resolving it, it will not be before the end of 2025. I will probably be back here asking why Irish Water is not supplying clean drinking water to the 9,500 people on the Whitegate scheme and a couple of hundred people, or maybe more, on the Killavullen scheme. People in both areas have businesses, pubs and restaurants. It will be very hard for them to survive. It is a question of incompetence. They knew what was happening two or three years ago. Every time it rains in Ireland, we cannot drink our water. It does not make sense. When I was a young fellow, a long time ago, we used to draw a bucket of water from the barrel and use it for cooking and washing and it was never an issue. I appeal to Irish Water to sort it out. To have 9,500 people with no water for the next three years is absolutely ludicrous.

Deputy Josepha Madigan

I will stand corrected if I am wrong about this, but my understanding from the briefing I have been given is that the upgrade works to the filters is under way and additional parts are on order.

Delivery is expected by the end of December. Following the implementation of these measures, the HSE will be asked to confirm that the criteria for lifting the boil water notice are met. If that is the case, the date will not be 2025, but much sooner. It appears from my briefing note that it is the water treatment plant that will be fully constructed at the end of 2025, but the boil water notice should be lifted way before that, hopefully early next year if not at the end of December.

The Minister wants to acknowledge the patience and co-operation of affected residents and businesses in the Whitegate area and other areas. I note the Deputy said that when Irish Water engages with him, it is "dismissive". It is a matter that I will bring to the attention of the Minister because we want all agencies to co-operate and at least give information when needed, particularly when one is trying to represent constituents who have to pay for water. The Deputy mentioned an autistic child who has to get bottled water to brush their teeth. That is not ideal for any family. I appreciate the pressure the Deputy is under in representing his constituents and I will relay his comments to the Minister. I thank him for his contribution.