• Decision looming on Broadford & Cooraclare schemes
• Final consideration being given to applications

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe is calling for no further delays to issuing a decision on applications for rural sewerage schemes for unsewered villages in Co. Clare.

The villages of Broadford and Cooraclare are both awaiting a decision on their applications to be included in the pilot scheme, after decades of having sewerage issues.

“I am confident that Minister Darragh O’Brien will follow through on his promise to deliver a national pilot scheme for unsewered villages in the coming weeks,” said Deputy Crowe.

“County Clare currently has two applications before the Minister for this scheme – the county council has submitted applications for sewerage schemes in Broadford and Cooraclare.

“Both villages have waited many decades for such infrastructure and local action groups in both areas feel that their villages are hampered by the lack of progression.

“Without a sewerage scheme, these villages can’t grow, housing cannot be provided and there’s also the ongoing environmental hazard of raw sewerage being discharged into drains and watercourses that has the potential of contaminating drinking waters.

“When Fianna Fáil entered government back in 2020, backbenchers were invited to bring forward suggestions of policy areas they would like to see included in the Programme for Government.

“As Clare’s FF TD, I made the provision of rural sewerage schemes like this a red-line issue and I intend to see this through.

“I was adamant the government needed to provide for unsewered villages, and I’m glad a budgetary element of €50m was committed to by the government for the provision of the same.

“More than a year has passed since the submission of the Broadford and Cooraclare applications and officials in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage have been considering these, along with other applications nationally for some time now.

“Minister O’Brien and his officials are now casting a final eye on these applications and I’m hopeful an announcement will be made in the coming weeks.

“Whilst the dezoning of land is indeed frustrating, I am confident that it can be rectified when a sewerage scheme is being prepared for Broadford.

“I want to acknowledge the immense effort of the Broadford Action Group led by PJ Mason and the elected representatives of the district who have worked hard to achieve the end goal here.

“I also want to commend the work of the local action committee and elected representatives in Cooraclare, and I’ll be doing everything I can in these final few weeks to try to ensure that there is a maximum benefit for Co. Clare.

“Moreover, I hope that this scheme will become more than a pilot scheme and will become a multi-annual fully funded programme.

“If we deliver for Broadford and Cooraclare, there are many more Clare villages in a queue who need this essential infrastructure.”

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• Work to be completed by mid-September
• Will improve frequency of leakages/outages

 

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe has welcomed confirmation that Uisce Éireann (formerly Irish Water) will commence work on replacing 300 metres of aged water mains in Clonlara next week.

The project will see the existing old and damaged pipes replaced, with a view to addressing the frequency of leakages and burst mains in the area.

“This is very welcome work and will be of significant relief to a great many residents in Clonlara,” said Deputy Crowe.

“Clonlara village has grown quite over the past two decades – particularly with the development of the Church Fields housing estate and new social housing developments adjacent to Derryvinna – but the water infrastructure hasn’t been upgraded to meet these new developments, and indeed developments that’ll hopefully happen into the future.

“Approximately 10 years ago, there was a major water upgrade from O’Connor’s Cross, Parteen to Decourcy’s Bridge, Clonlara.

“This was to deal with frequent outages experienced by people in Clonlara but the works now planned will hep to further improve supply and deal with any outage problems people in the village have.

“I’ve been communicating recently with Uisce Éireann on the need to further upgrade the water mains in this locality.

“In particular, I am pushing them to replace old asbestos pipes between Larkin’s Cross, Parteen and O’Connor’s Cross, Parteen.

“Residents here have endured more than a dozen water outages in the past 12 months.

“Also, I’ve asked them to upgrade water pipes in the Kildoorus area of Clonlara and the nearby village of Bridgetown.

“Residents here have ongoing issues with water pressure and when there are outages in the locality it can often taken them several days to have their own domestic supplies replenished.

“Whilst fixing water leaks if an important part of Uisce Éireann’s work, it is vital that work to replace old decrepit mains that are no longer fit for purpose proceed with haste.”

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