“The electorate was sold a fantasy by every major party"

Independent Ireland TDs have once again been vindicated in their warnings about the country’s failing water and sewage infrastructure, which is now critically obstructing housing delivery nationwide. Since its foundation, Independent Ireland has cautioned that the unrealistic housing targets promised by other political parties are described as "unachievable, and pie in the sky", given the chronic underinvestment in essential infrastructure. Now, as the housing crisis deepens, the consequences of these failures are clear for all to see.

"We have been saying this for years – you cannot build houses without proper water and sewage systems," said Michael Fitzmaurice TD. "Despite repeatedly raising this issue in the Dáil and the media, successive governments ignored the warning signs. The electorate was sold a fantasy by every major party – Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Sinn Féin, Labour, and the Social Democrats. Now, the truth is hitting home – and it is a damning indictment of a political establishment that has misled the public on housing."

" "This is a nationwide issue, not just one affecting rural areas continued Fitzmaurice "if you look at Leinster, you will find more than two-thirds of water infrastructure is on life support, it's an unsustainable situation and the Government needs to come clean and address the problem urgently.  Years of neglect and a failure to invest in critical upgrades have left the system unable to cope with demand, halting housing developments in key growth areas. Developers are now being told they cannot proceed with projects because the necessary water and sewage services simply do not exist."

Independent Ireland TDs made it clear during the 2024 General Election that they would not commit to housing targets that were detached from infrastructural realities. Leader Michael Collins TD said "We called it then – and we were right.  Other parties pushed forward with grandiose targets they knew were unattainable, all while failing to address the fundamental issue of infrastructure. Now, they are scrambling for solutions to a crisis of their own making."

Richard O'Donoghue TD echoed these concerns, stating: "I have been raising this for years – not just in relation to housing, but across all sectors. Our wastewater plants are overstretched, raw sewage is still being discharged into our rivers, and the necessary investment to fix these problems remains absent. The failure to act has real consequences for communities, particularly where housing is most desperately needed."

Independent Ireland has long called for urgent action to modernise and expand the country’s water and wastewater systems. Their proposals have been consistently ignored by successive governments, leading to the situation now unfolding.

"How much longer can this be kicked down the road?" Collins asked. "The political establishment must stop playing games and start making serious investments in the infrastructure that will allow us to solve this housing crisis. We need real solutions, not more empty promises."

Independent Ireland TDs are now calling on all parties to face the reality of Ireland’s water and sewage crisis and commit to urgent, large-scale investment. Without it, the country’s housing targets will remain nothing more than political spin – and the crisis will only deepen.

Michael Fitzmaurice TD expressed his frustration, stating: "The public deserves honest and achievable commitments. Pre-election housing promises across the board have been exposed as impossible to deliver without addressing our failing infrastructure."

In Cork, Ken O'Flynn TD has highlighted the critical need for investment, asserting that the government has "failed the people of Cork on something as basic as water infrastructure." He emphasised the necessity of a €500 million investment to rectify the city's water problems, criticising the lack of action on this fundamental issue.

These concerns are validated by a recent article in the Irish Independent, which reports that two-thirds of water supplies cannot support new housing targets, highlighting the pressing need for substantial infrastructure investment.

Independent Ireland TDs are calling on the government to prioritise and address these infrastructure deficiencies to ensure sustainable housing development across the country.