Green Party leader Trevor Sargent has demanded an inquiry into how the Ringsend sewage treatment plant in Dublin became a "botched job".
He said Taoiseach Bertie Ahern had covered himself in glory opening what he had then described as a state-of-the-art facility.
"The fact it was based on old census figures, that it now creates an almighty smell, that his Government has not carried out any official investigation, but uses money on a daily basis to try to patch up what was a botched job, is a salient lesson," he added.
Mr Ahern said the Ringsend scheme was a great work by the engineering section of Dublin County Council, working in partnership with the private sector to bring about a modern scheme.
"I am aware there have been some difficulties in trying to deal with all the problems. While I am not a member of the city council, my understanding is that the council's engineers have been trying to surmount them." He would not answer for local authority matters. "I am answerable for enough other matters," he added.
Mr Sargent said it was not at all satisfactory for the Taoiseach to state he was leaving it up to the council. "The European Court will be down on his head on the basis of his failure to, as the European Commission press release put it, put in place satisfactory rules to prevent malodours from urban waste water treatment plants in accordance with the EU waste framework directive."
Mr Ahern said the problem related to the air filter and it was being examined.
Mr Sargent said many people had turned out in Portrane, in north Co Dublin, to hear about a surprise proposal to "turn what was a perfectly acceptable plan for a sewage-treatment suitable for a population of 65,000 into one which we are informed will cost €2.6 billion and will serve more than one million people."
He said that even from a technical perspective, whatever about the politics, a large treatment plant would be prone to odours because the effluent must travel such distances in air-free pipes and there would be a stinking mess by the time it arrived at the treatment plant.
"Can the Taoiseach take on board the clear scientific observations that have been made repeatedly by the community in Ringsend and by people who know about sewage treatment?" he asked. "Can he also take on board that this plan will hide the cowboy polluter?"
Mr Ahern said that if north Co Dublin residents had concerns, he had no doubt they would put them to their public representatives. "Those concerns will be dealt with by the planners and engineers of the appropriate councils who are well used to listening to people's concerns," he added. "Hopefully, they will come to a satisfactory resolution."
Mr Ahern said Mr Sargent must acknowledge the dramatic improvements in water quality and in dealing with sewage and effluent. "In areas of population growth, we are trying to provide the proper and efficient services that are required."
