Cullen water supply issues highlighted as ‘a whole new system is needed’

Continuous disruption to the water supply in Cullen was highlighted by councillors at last Monday’s full council meeting.

Fianna Fáil councillor Bernard Moynihan raised the issue under Any Other Business (AOB).

Speaking at the meeting Cllr Moynihan said the public and business owners in Cullen had no access to water for a prolonged period. “The good people of Cullen in North Cork in my area, right now have no water. The school, the creche and the local hairdressers have no water. Irish Water were there last week and people from Cullen were ringing me on Sunday night, March 24 and on Monday morning March 25 saying they have no water in the village. There is a whole raft of the village with no water whatsoever,” he said.

Cllr Moynihan requested that the local authority ‘use’ their influence with Irish Water regarding the issue of water supply in the village. “I would ask the council to use our influence with Irish Water and alert them that this issue of water supply for the people of Cullen was raised at Cork County Council.

“There were workers there last week and they left on Friday evening- (March 22). An hour after they left the water was gone. It is my understanding that the piping going through Cullen needs to be replaced. They are replacing one section of pipe. They put in a new section and then ten yards down the road the next section breaks,” he added.

“We need a completely new piping system in Cullen,” said Cllr Moynihan. “There is a whole new pipe needed in Cullen. The system is not good enough. Replacing a break doesn’t work. I would ask that we would write to Irish Water to highlight the issue of Cullen.”

Fine Gael councillor John Paul O’Shea who supported the call from Cllr Moynihan acknowledged the process has been challenging for the locality. “There have been a number of breaks over the last few days. It has been challenging. The public of Cullen have been without water for a good few days on and off.”

It was subsequently agreed that a letter would be sent to Uisce Éireann highlighting the water supply issue and requesting the installation of a new piping system in Cullen.