There is no denying that considerable progress has been made in developing and upgrading our waste water and sewage treatment system.
The expenditure of the bulk of an estimated €2.4 billion under the National Development Plan, 2000-2006, and the provision of new treatment facilities in our major cities and towns has seen to that. Dublin no longer dumps shiploads of raw sewage off the coast.
And, from a position where only one-quarter of our cities and major towns provided secondary sewage treatment in 2000, the figure now exceeds 90 per cent. Much, however, remains to be done.
Good planning is at the heart of a successful economy. And while this State - actively encouraged and funded by the European Commission - succeeded in plugging some of the most obvious environmental gaps as the economy developed, we have now reached something of a plateau and have to plan ahead. A study of the quality of waste water drainage schemes in towns that exceed 2,000 in population, has just been published by the Minister for the Environment, Dick Roche. It outlines existing deficiencies and identifies strategies for development, along with recommendations for upgrading the system.
Government spending in this area will strongly influence future economic growth and housing development in the regions. Investment there should properly reflect its own spatial strategy. Without adequate waste water and sewage facilities, planning permission should become much more difficult to obtain. In that regard, Mr Roche has warned local authorities that land rezoning that does not follow regional planning guidelines will not be serviced.
As an approach to planning, it sounded sensible and progressive. But then, out of the blue, the Minister announced that local councillors are to be given responsibility for drawing up the strategic waste water and sewage plans for their areas. It sounds as if Mr Roche is determined to put foxes in charge of the hen run. After all, it was county councillors who ignored regional planning guidelines to propose the development of large swathes of land surrounding small villages in counties Laois and Meath as dormitory towns of Dublin.
Giving them responsibility for deciding where sewage and water facilities should go would appear to be an incentive to engage in further planning mayhem.
Before the Minister amends the Water Services Bill that is at present before the Oireachtas, he should explain to the electorate how the proposed change in legislation will safeguard the public purse, facilitate good regional planning and encourage councillors to behave in a less parochial way.