Minister calls on Uisce Éireann to fix Cork's 'water crisis'

PBP-Solidarity TD Mick Barry said Uisce Éireann statistics indicate that on nine separate weeks in the past 18 months, complaints from the public in Cork were more than 10 times the number that would normally be expected

Brown water running from a tap in a house on the northside of Cork City recently.

Uisce Éireann must fix the ongoing "water crisis" in Cork and be fully transparent in explaining how homes have been left with dirty and brown water, Eamon Ryan has said.

The Green Party leader said the utility firm formerly called Irish Water now has to "resolve" the issue and "be open, honest and upfront with the people of Cork as to why they are seeing discoloured water coming out of their taps".

Mr Ryan told the Dáil: "The health of our people comes first and the first base load of that is having a healthy environment, clean water and all of the other services we need. My understanding is that an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigation file was opened in December 2023, and that absolutely has to be resolved.

"We have that independent assessment. It is not left to Irish Water to assess what is appropriate or what is done. We have regulatory systems to make sure we have a clean environment."

Mr Ryan was questioned by PBP-Solidarity TD Mick Barry who raised what he described as a "water crisis" where "dirty, discoloured water — brown and orange — is coming from the taps."

He said Uisce Éireann statistics indicate that on nine separate weeks in the past 18 months, complaints from the public were more than 10 times the number that would normally be expected.

"It surges into washing machines and dishwashers. It does not effect every home, but there is no question that it has affected many thousands of homes."

TV licences

Meanwhile, Mary Lou McDonald has called for the abolition of the TV licence, claiming the Government's approach to RTÉ is "a merry-go-round of contradictions" that is "driving people up the walls".

The Sinn Féin leader said her party want to abolish the controversial TV licence and invest Exchequer funding into supporting public service media to put them on a "sustainable footing".

She added that the introduction of a system of direct Exchequer funding for RTÉ is the best way to rebuild public trust and ensure a strong future for public service broadcasting in Ireland.

Mr Ryan told the Dáil that the Government will "absolutely" deliver a new format of broadcasting support and funding for all broadcasting and not just for RTÉ.

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However, he added that a decision on the future of media funding was delayed in the wake of the controversies that emerged last summer around Ryan Tubridy's pay, spending on Toy Show the Musical and the various barter accounts that had been used.

But with tens of thousands of households now refusing to pay the TV licence, Ms McDonald hit out at the Government for being "all over the place" on the matter.

"The Government's position is a merry-go-round of contradictions and mixed messages that is driving people up the walls," she said.

Responding, Mr Ryan said two final reports on governance issues at RTÉ are due to be published in February and these will allow the Government to "come to a conclusion of that process and set out the future payments and supports for RTÉ, and, indeed, for other media organisations, through whichever mechanism, be that through direct Exchequer or household payments or whatever other arrangement we will decide upon."