Sinn Fein has slammed Taoiseach Leo Varadkar over his "inadequate" response to invest in Ireland's waste water and sewerage infrastructure.

The party's President Gerry Adams TD said he held no real hope of the government tackling the significant infrastructure issue.

He said: "Raw sewage is still entering the environment untreated in 44 urban areas, including Omeath. The EPA has warned that because of under-investment projects involving a high risk of pollution and a threat to public health have been delayed for at least three years.

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"Eight Louth areas – Ardee, Blackrock, Castlebellingham, Drogheda, Dundalk, Dunleer, Omeath and Tallanstown - are among the 148 priority urban areas where improvements are required to meet the EU's standards.

"Local infrastructure is failing because of consistent lack of investment by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and Labour governments. This failure to invest properly has resulted in the European Commission taking this state to the European Court of Justice for breaching the urban waste water treatment directive. There is the potential for substantial fines."

(CD/LM)