Labour Senator Rebecca Moynihan has slammed Government over what she calls “inaction” in the investment of wastewater treatment plants.
The Senator was speaking following an Enviromental Protection Agency report found that the equivalent of three Olympic-size swimming pools of untreated raw sewage are flowing into Ireland’s water systems every day.
Senator Moynihan said the report was a “shocking indictment of the Government’s failure to take water quality seriously.”
“For years, we have been warned about the need to invest in wastewater treatment plants, but the Government has simply dragged their feet,” she said.
“26 areas have been identified in the report as requiring wastewater treatment plants, but we know this won’t be addressed until the end of 2028.”
“Our water systems are polluted, and our people are at risk. In the Urban Waste Water Treatment report for 2022, the EPA said over half of Ireland’s wastewater discharges are not meeting European Union standards to protect the environment – now we are paying the price for that inaction.”
Moynihan, who serves as the party spokesperson on climate, said, “with the climate crisis upon us, we can expect to see more extreme weather events, including increased flooding. This means that it is more important than ever to invest in wastewater treatment plants to protect our water systems.”
“The Government has a responsibility to ensure that our water is clean and safe for everyone. They need to take this issue seriously and invest in wastewater treatment plants now.”
“We need to see this money being invested in wastewater treatment plants as a priority. The Government needs to fast-track this investment and hold Uisce Éireann to account for delivering on its promises.
“The people of Ireland deserve clean and safe water; Government needs to stop dragging its feet and take urgent action to protect our water systems.”