Wastewater Treatment Plant stalemate to go before Supreme Court
The highest court in the land will adjudicate on one aspect of the ongoing stalemate over plans to provide a Wastewater Treatment Plant in An Cheathrú Rua.
Plans by Irish Water to compulsorily purchase (CPO) land at Sruthán Pier, to develop the sewerage system to cater for the Gaeltacht town, will go before the Supreme Court.
That’s according to correspondence between Irish Water and Department of Housing and Local Government officials, obtained by the Connacht Tribune through Freedom of Information (FOI).
Irish Water wants to CPO the land but its owner Glann Mór Céibh Teoranta, trading as Ionad Oidreachta na mBádóirí, has since got permission from An Bórd Pleanála to build what it described as a ‘world class’ immersive cultural heritage visitor attraction. Irish Water said it learned of this decision in April.
“Irish Water is currently reviewing this decision and the implications for the proposed Carraroe Sewerage Scheme. There is currently a stay on the Compulsory Purchase Order of the preferred site due to a Judicial Review which is due to be heard in the Supreme Court before the end of the year,” Irish Water told officials in the Department of Housing in May.
The letter confirmed that, “in light of this and the recent planning decision by An Bórd Pleanála, Irish Water will review the site selection for the Carraroe Sewerage Scheme over the coming weeks to assess the impact, if any, of the recent grant of planning.”
In correspondence with Irish Water, Department official, Lorna Tuohy, sought clarity on the situation.
“Can I just confirm I understand this correctly,” she began. “Irish Water identified this location as the preferred site for the Wastewater Treatment Plant, but they don’t ‘own’ the site, and have just been informed that the property owner has been granted planning permission for an alternative project?” she asked.
In response, an employee of Irish Water, whose name was redacted in the correspondence released, said “this is quite a complex situation”. She was asked if she would like to speak with the project manager for a verbal update. The planning and legal crux has left plans for the sewerage scheme in limbo.
Meanwhile, the equivalent of 1,300 wheelie bins of untreated wastewater flows into Casla Bay every day.