‘WE’LLSTILL BE WAITING IN 2024’

SLOW PROGRESS ON KENMARE SEWERAGE PLANT

THE future of Kenmare is in jeopardy according to Cllr Johnny Healy-Rae due to the delay by Irish Water in the development of a much needed Kenmare Wastewater Treatment Plant. Though the €10m project has been approved by Irish Water, it has yet to proceed to construction and this is halting development.

“Irish Water have neglected to sort this out,” Cllr Healy Rae claimed.

“A contractor has been appointed but I can’t understand why it is taking so long. It was supposed to be ready in the last quarter of 2019 and then the last quarter of 2020. We will be here in 2024 if we’re still alive,” he said at the recent Kenmare Municipal District Meeting, where he asked for an update on the long-awaited project.

Kerry County Council officials stated that the wastewater treatment plant is in Irish Water’s 2020 -2024 investment plan and is currently at the detailed design stage.

“Irish Water is working with our designers to complete complex environmental assessments and marine modelling studies with a view to submission of planning application and Environmental Impact Assessment Report later in 2020,” a spokesperson said. However, the council did not give a construction time-line for the project.

The lack of wastewater plant has halted development in the town with both Kerry County Council and An Bord Pleanála citing the plant as vital before any new housing development can progress. This has halted plans for 55 houses in the town and a motor-home park.

Cllr Healy-Rae said that the lack of a wastewater treatment plan is also affecting private planning applications which are being “granted planning but on a condition is they can’t develop until the sewerage plant is built”.

“It is stifling development ... We are going to lose people who will move elsewhere all because a plant that should have been done five years ago,” he added.