Govt Accused Of Putting Lives At Risk With Water Treatment System

The government has been accused of putting lives at risk with its "failure" to put in place a 21st century water treatment system.

Sinn Féin Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh made the comment following the publication of the Environmental Protection Agency's Urban Waste Water Report for 2014.

"The EPA's Urban Waste Water Report makes for shocking reading. It shows that raw sewage is being discharged into at least forty-five rivers, lakes and beaches around the country," Senator Ó Clochartaigh said.

"This clearly has serious public health implications and in regions that are heavily dependent on tourism it has the potential to damage the local economy. Raw untreated sewage is also very damaging for already hard pressed coastal communities and the aquatic environment.

"The ongoing saga with the shambolic entity of Irish Water and the continued lack of investment in the country's water infrastructure is a damming indictment of this government. The government's spin on Irish Water is fooling no one as the failure to provide water treatment plants to the people of Carraroe, Spiddal, and Athenry speaks for itself.

"It seems that Fine Gael and Labour prefer to spend tax payer's money on the inflated salaries of senior Irish Water officials rather than on ensuring the quality of the nation's water."

(MH/CD)