CLARE’S ability to attract foreign direct investment will be negatively impacted by the government’s approval of a controversial €6 billion plan to abstract 330 million litres of water per day from Lough Derg for Dublin, the Midlands and the East of the country, a local lobby group has claimed.
The Government has received Cabinet approval for one of the largest infrastructure projects in the history of the State, which it predicts would ensure sustainable water supplies for half of the population up to 2050 and beyond.
According to a government statement, the delivery of the Water Supply Project Eastern and Midlands Region is critical to sustainable economic growth, enabling housing delivery and attracting investment to support Ireland’s growing population for the next 30 years and beyond.
This project, which has now got the green light to proceed to An Bord Pleanála, has a preliminary project cost estimate of €4.58 billion to €5.96 billion, which has been developed in accordance with the principles set out in the Infrastructure Guidelines by international engineering experts Jacobs and verified by an Expert Review Panel (ERP). In addition, the Cost Benefit Analysis was developed by leading experts EY.
Based on a cost estimate of €4.58 billion, cost benefit analysis of the project demonstrates that it delivers €12.25 of benefits for every €1 of costs and it therefore represents a positive investment for the State, according to the Government.
The project proposes to abstract a maximum of 2% of the average flow of the River Shannon at Parteen Basin downstream of Lough Derg.
Treated water will then be piped 170km through counties Tipperary, Offaly and Kildare to a termination point reservoir at Peamount in County Dublin, connecting into the Greater Dublin network.
It is expected construction will take four to five years. River Shannon Protection Alliance Chairman, Gerry Siney, has criticised this latest government decision in light of trenchant opposition from Mid-West groups.
“Aside from the environmental damage, it will have a highly negative impact on the Mid-West region because they want this water to keep attracting foreign direct investment into the Dublin area,” he said.
“Foreign direct investment is needed in Clare and the Mid-West where we already have the water. If they keep using the vast majority of the water that is available for industry in Dublin, the Mid-West will have limited scope for attracting foreign direct investment.
“It should be a question of bringing industry to where the water is available not the other way around. It will also cause serious issues for fishing as the river contains several European Special Areas of Conservation.
“They are talking about the average flow of water in the River Shannon. The River Shannon doesn’t work on the law of averages, at times between 25 and 30% of the water in the river could be abstracted. This new pipeline is not needed.
“They will not fix the leaks. They should replace the whole water network in Dublin because it is crumbling.
“Up to 50% of the water that is being put into the Dublin Water Supply is leaking into the ground.”
Acknowledging the government’s decision is very significant, Mr Siney claimed the water abstraction project has similarities with the ill-fated National Children’s Hospital project as it started out with an estimated cost of €700 million, which has increased to almost €6 billion.
Mr Siney confirmed the River Shannon Protection Alliance would continue to vigorously oppose this project at An Bord Pleanála level.
He said the group would illustrate the alleged “incompetence” of the government who have approved this project in its objection to the board.
Killaloe Ballina District Anglers Chairman, Anthony Kennedy, said if the problem of leaks was sorted out in Dublin this would ensure people in the capital had enough water.
Questioning the wisdom of transferring water from Lough Derg a long distance to Dublin, he said there has to be better alternatives.
“This will cause the level of the lake to drop, particularly in the summer time. If there isn’t enough water in spawning beds for fish, they will not spawn in natural habitats. It will kill plant life if the water level drops.
“Long term it will have a negative impact. There needs to be a proper study done on what affect it could have. It is ridiculous taking water from Lough Derg and bringing it the whole way up to Dublin,” he said.
The government believes this will provide Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow with a resilient water supply and will also create a water ‘spine’ across the country with the capacity to serve communities along the route in Newport, Moneygall and Borrisokane in North Tipperary, Dunkerrin and Tullamore in Offaly, and Mullingar in Westmeath.
Uisce Éireann CEO Niall Gleeson said the Water Supply Project is critical for the future of the country.
East Clare correspondent, Dan Danaher is a journalism graduate of Rathmines and UL. He has won numerous awards for special investigations on health, justice, environment, and reports on news, agriculture, disability, mental health and community.