Uncertainty over group water schemes in Malin area
Councillors repeated calls for meeting with Irish Water unlikely
AN INISHOWEN councillor has stressed the importance for Donegal County Council to meet with Irish Water as he said there is a lot of uncertainty over the future of group water schemes.
Glengad councillor Martin McDermott said there is a large number of people and families on group water schemes in his area around Glengad and Malin Head.
Cllr. McDermott says these people do not know where they stand in relation to Irish Water and that it would be very beneficial to meet with the semi-state body to discuss important issues.
Councillors in the county have consistently called on Irish Water to come to Donegal and meet with them, however in a letter before the monthly meeting of the council in Lifford on Monday last it would appear that this meeting is unlikely.
John Tierney, managing director of Irish Water, wrote to the Chief Executive, Seamus Neeley, said they continue to receive a number of invitations to attend council meetings on a regular basis.
However, he said it ‘would not be the norm’ for them or other similar organisations to attend local council meetings.
He added: “It would be hugely problematic for us to be available to attend 31 local council meetings on a regular basis, and it would not be the norm for other similar national organisations.”
Instead, Mr. Tierney said they proposed to set up eight different events throughout the country for elected representatives. He said they plan to do this after the water charges have been set and that he would get back to them in September with more details.
Senior Council Engineer Joe Peoples said he understood the Council’s desire to meet with Irish Water but he said there should be no concerns for people on group water schemes, which the council have taken over. And similarly for people who wish to remain private as the Department for the
Environment is still in control of the rural group schemes in the country, meaning they have not been taken over by Irish Water.
He said the Council are continuing to maintain and service group schemes in Donegal.
