Richard Boyd Barrett: Demands Ring's End Upgrade after Sewage Spills
Richard Boyd Barrett addressed the Taoiseach about recurring sewage overflows into Dublin Bay and called for an urgent upgrade to the Ring's End works. He said the Ring's End facility lacks capacity, the problem dates back to at least 2019, and the ongoing failures threaten water quality and public health.
Every time there is a massive downpour, rainfall or storm water mixes with sewage and pours into Dublin Bay, the speaker said, causing repeated contamination after heavy rain events.
The West Pier pumping station in Dunleary pumps sewage out to Ring's End, but Ring's End does not have the capacity and overflows, the speaker explained, sending untreated discharges into the bay.
The speaker recalled a question he asked in 2019 and said the government promised then to upgrade Ring's End, but the work has not been completed and the overflows continue every time it rains.
He warned that the decrepit water infrastructure is jeopardising water quality, swimmers and public health, describing the ongoing discharges as "unbelievable" in their persistence.
The speaker noted that funds have now been allocated and expressed hope that, with billions earmarked, the Ring's End upgrade and wider rehabilitation of water infrastructure can finally be completed.
Recurring sewage overflows
Every time there is a massive downpour, rainfall or storm water mixes with sewage and pours into Dublin Bay, the speaker said, causing repeated contamination after heavy rain events.
Bottleneck at West Pier and Ring's End
The West Pier pumping station in Dunleary pumps sewage out to Ring's End, but Ring's End does not have the capacity and overflows, the speaker explained, sending untreated discharges into the bay.
Unfulfilled upgrade promises since 2019
The speaker recalled a question he asked in 2019 and said the government promised then to upgrade Ring's End, but the work has not been completed and the overflows continue every time it rains.
Health and environmental risks
He warned that the decrepit water infrastructure is jeopardising water quality, swimmers and public health, describing the ongoing discharges as "unbelievable" in their persistence.
Funding and next steps
The speaker noted that funds have now been allocated and expressed hope that, with billions earmarked, the Ring's End upgrade and wider rehabilitation of water infrastructure can finally be completed.
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Transcript
Taoiseach, I also want to raise the issue of water quality in Dublin Bay for the umpteenth time. Every time there is a massive downpour, like the ones we had very recently, rainfall water or storm water mixes with sewage and pours into Dublin Bay. The capacity, the pumping station at the West Pier in Dunleary pumps stuff out to Ring's End, but Ring's End does not have the capacity, it overflows, goes into Dublin Bay and then water quality is very, very seriously undermined. I was looking at a question I asked back in 2019, and it was not the first time, right, where even then the government was promising they were going to upgrade at Ring's End. 2019 still has not been done, it still happens every time it rains. It is unbelievable, right. Now when finally are we going to make sure that the upgrade at Ring's End and the rehabilitation of our decrepit water infrastructure that is jeopardising water quality, swimmers, health and all sorts of other bad adverse problems, when is it going to be finally addressed by this government? The Ring's End does not have the capacity, I will engage again, we have appointed now, I know we have allocated billions now, so hopefully we can get it done.