Sinn Féin spokesperson on Water Eoin Ó Broin TD has called on Minister Murphy to state what information he had in relation to the failure of Irish water and Fingal County Council to fully implement the recommendations of the March 2019 Drinking Water Audit Report in the Leixlip Water Treatment Plant.

Commenting on the publication of the EPA drinking Water October Audit report on the Leixlip plant published yesterday, Deputy Ó Broin said:

“The latest EPA audit on the Leixlip plant conducted after the Boil Water notice was issued concludes that the primary cause of the failure at the plant was a blockage in one of the treatment processes.

“The failure of Irish Water and Fingal County Council to implement the recommendations of the previous EPA audit of the plant in March was a contributory factor in the failure of the plant.

“In particular the failure to install, as recommended, an automatic shutdown system when plant alarms are not answered.

“The EPA report is welcome, but many questions remain unanswered by Irish Water and Minister Murphy.

“Why were March 2019 audit recommendations not implemented?

“Who is responsible for this failure Irish Water or Fingal County Council or both?

“Is the failure to implement the recommendations due to a lack of funding and resources?

“Was the Department aware of the failure to implement the March 2019 recommendations and what action will Minister Murphy now take?

“These are just some of the questions I will be putting to Irish Water, Fingal County Council and the Department when they appear in front of the Committee for Housing next Tuesday.”