“As the water supply crisis continues across the country, I have tabled a motion at today’s Fingal County Council meeting to debate the issue and to hear what the County Manager along with his Directors have to say.
“Some areas of the county, including pockets of Swords, Malahide & Howth were without water for as many as nine days over the Christmas holidays.
“I believe the work of the water services department has been outstanding but it merely masks the fundamental problems which the network suffers from, namely proper investment. I believe that the minister must step up to the plate and offer a meaningful solution to the apparent ongoing water crisis that the capital is now facing.
“In January 2010, we were told that the problem was due to unprecedented demand, in January 2011, unprecedented appears to be almost a regular occurrence.
“The County Manager & Mayor of Fingal have requested that I defer my motion until a Special Council meeting can be arranged on January 24th and while I would prefer to be presented with the information as to what the Council propose to do, I accept that the Council must be given time to present fully accurate information.
“Apart from the local information on burst pipes and pump failures, I am also keen to find out when the proposed enlargement of the Leixlip facility is to take place, when the enlargement of the Malahide facility will commence and finally, the most important part of the overall communications offered by the Council which at times was poor.
“I look forward to a full and frank discussion with the county manager in two weeks.