Lough Derg abstraction needs independent verification, says mayor

THE proposed abstraction of enough water from Lough Derg to fill Croke Park to the brim almost 12 times will be opposed until independent verification is provided that it will not be to the environmental or economic detriment of the lake’s catchment area.
That’s the warning issued by Mayor of Clare, Pat Hayes who has expressed grave concern about Dublin City Council’s plans to remove over 350 million litres of water on a daily basis from Lough Derg.
The preferred option involves raw water abstraction from northern Lough Derg, pumping of raw water to a cutaway bog near Portarlington, raw water storage at this site, water treatment and pumping facilities at this site and pipelines to convey treated water from the site to the Midlands and to the Dublin Region. Combined raw water and treated water pipelines would be about 130km in length.
The proposed 2031 level of abstraction for Dublin and Midlands is about 2% of the average Shannon flow in Lough Derg.
Speaking following a meeting of political interests and other stakeholders as part of an Oireachtas committee visit to the proposed extraction site on the North Tipperary shore last week, Mayor Hayes said stakeholders in the region cannot rely on Dublin City Council’s analysis of the impact of the €500m project.
“This is Dublin City Council’s proposal so we cannot and should not accept any report they are putting forward in relation to the potential impact of this mammoth project. After all, we were told at the outset that this was just for Dublin’s water supply but now we are told it could be for up to 40% of the country’s population, starting in the Midlands and running all the way to Dublin.
“They are talking about taking enough water to fill Croke Park to the brim almost 12 times. That’s a shocking amount of water to take from our lake and I’m sure my fellow Clare public representatives will not stand by and accept this without categorical assurances from independent experts.
“We need an independent environmental impact study commissioned on behalf of Clare, Tipperary, Limerick and Galway local authorities and all other stakeholders, such as the Shannon Region Fisheries Board, the ESB, and so on. 
“This study must be paid for by Dublin City Council but they should have no other hand, act or part to play in it.  It should also have overriding authority over Dublin City Council’s own environmental statement as well.”
The East Clare-based mayor claimed the project has the potential to seriously impact on both the environment and economic status of the lake and, in turn, cause irreparable damage to the local economy if it is not done right.
“You cannot but be concerned as to the impact of the potential lowering of water tables on the lake, which will be inevitable at certain stages of the year. It could have a profound effect on the ecology of what is one of Europe’s finest sheets of waterway.
“There is also the potential economic fall-out for us from this project. One of the carrots being waved for the project is a multi-million euro eco-park and reservoir planned for Garryhinch in Offaly, with the potential for one million visitors annually. In my mind, this further undermines confidence in the project from a Clare perspective as how could Dublin City Council possibly suggest that a one-million visitor attraction outside this region could be good for us. Not alone are they suggesting taking our water but also potential tourism revenue from us. It would be much more appropriate for the Government to oversee the fulfilment of the lake’s enormous tourism potential than allow it to be further undermined.
“I also find it ironic, to say the least, that the man who is essentially heading up this proposal, Dublin City Manager John Tierney, is actually from Terryglass in  Tipperary right where the extraction point will be.
“The proposal seems to me to be a short-sighted solution to Dublin’s problems. They should firstly solve leaks in their network across the capital and be a little more innovative in finding a solution beyond that. Taking water from Lough Derg is the easy option. I and my fellow elected representatives won’t stand for it unless we are completely satisfied there will be no adverse reaction.”
The Dáil committee has pledged to meet with stakeholders and interested parties from a range of sectors covering tourism, environment, hospitality, boating, angling, sports and public representatives from a number of counties, to hear their views and reservations regarding these proposals.