PLANT UPGRADE BOOST AT LAST
Capacity waste water treatment plants were holding up much needed development in Strandhill, Grange and Tubbercurry but now Irish Water can proceed with urgent upgrades following a decision by An Bord Pleanala this week.
The schemes latest delay was due to an objection to a compulsory purchase order regarding the Tubbercurry scheme and because it was bundled with Strandhill, Grange and Ballinafad, all were held up.
But, it has been delay after delay for the schemes with much needed housing and commercial projects knocked back with the sewerage plants operating to capacity cited as one of the main reasons for hold-ups in Strandhill.
Deputy Marc MacSharry called on the Government and Irish Water to now get on with the job. Finance was originally allocated ten years ago, he said. There’s been ongoing issues with the Grange plant, particuarly in recent weeks with foul smelling odours while there has been pollution concerns for some time with regard of discharge into the Tubbercurry River from the present plant. The European Court of Justice has taken a case against Ireland for breaches of European Directives regarding the unacceptable discharge of untreated sewage from 45 locations with the Tubbercurry waste treatment plant connected to this breach. The town has a population of 2,283 but the wastewater treatment plant has a 1,400 capacity.
THERE should be no further delays with the upgrading of the Tubbercurry, Grange, Strandhill and Ballinafad sewerage treatment plants following a decision by An Bord Pleanala yesterday (Monday).
Significant commercial and housing development, especially in Strandhill and Grange has been held up as the schemes have been operating at full capacity for years.
The Tubbercurry River, the receiving water for primary discharge at present has a long history of pollution. Under the new upgrade the discharge point will move to the Moy River, 5k away.
It’s been a frustrating time too for residents in the towns and villages affected but the latest delay has now been overcome and Fianna Fáil TD, Marc MacSharry has called on Irish Water to now get on with the work as soon as possible.
“It is galling to see such unnecessary delay for many years when considering the finance was available for these projects through the Department of the Environment going back to the FF lead Government of 2002-2007.
“It is a failure of public administration that a decade or more has been lost preventing these communities from enjoying the infrastructure they are entitled to under the Urban waste water treatment directive 1991 and the Urban waste water treatment regulations 2001-2010.
“We want immediate commencement of works with timely completion dates. These delays have prevented natural growth and development in each of Ballinafad, Tubbercurry, Strandhill and Grange” said Deputy MacSharry. He added: “This cannot be tolerated any longer with a national housing crisis and communities anxious to develop to their potential. No more excuses, the people deserve and are entitled to these upgrades so the message for Irish water and the Fine Gael Government is clear - get on with it.”
An Bord Pleanala turned down an appeal from one objector in the Tubbercurry area who was the owner of lands subjected to compulsory acquisition.
An oral hearing into the matter took place in Sligo last June and on Monday the board issued its decision.
In all the upgrading schemes required permanent way leaves across 29 properties, temporary working areas involving 56 properties and a permanent right of way across two properties. There was only one objection from James Calvey.
He had plans to build an agricultural shed that would have been located directly over the proposed pipe if installed. He had already been approved in principle for grant funding for the shed. As a landowner downstream of the proposed discharge point he also had concerns about the standard of treatment.