Stage fright halted Laois multi-million euro project which residents would now have to win ten lotto jackpots to afford

Uisce Éireann has refused to extend a wastewater system to a part of Durrow which it is claimed was inexplicably excluded from a multi-million project.

Instead, the State-owned utility wants residents to pay their own way but councilors rejected this saying the households would have to win several lotto jackpots to afford the work that has to be done.

The extension of Durrow’s sewage scheme to a part of the town was raised with Cllr Ollie Clooney, Independent, at a recent meeting of Laois County Council.

He tabled a motion calling on the local authority to extend the wastewater and sewerage facilities further along the town's Derry Road.

After getting a reply there were no plans to do so, Cllr Cllr Clooney made his views clear to council management. He was also critical of the decision to leave Derry Road out of the previous multi-town project which saw millions of euro invested around Laois.

“They got stage fright when they went up the Derry Road,” he said.

Cllr Clooney claimed many households were left out of the scheme as it stopped half way up the road. He said people in neighbouring houses on the road are connected while others are not.

“It is not fair," he insisted.

He asked if there was "discrimination" or a shortage of money in the original scheme that led to homes being left out.

Cllr James Kelly, Independent, backed his colleague saying there are a large number of residences on the road. He reminded officials that it took four years to fix the roads after the work was concluded.

He was also curious as to the consultation engaged with and how it was agreed that some of the Derry Road was left out.
Councillors also dismissed the idea that residents could pay.

Cllr Paddy Bracken, Fianna Fáil, said the cost of doing so would be "frightening" while Cllr John King, Fine Gael, said the residents would need to “win ten lotto” jackpots to foot the bill.

Michael Malone, S.E.E., Water Services, replied in writing.

“It’s just over 10 years since a new Wastewater Treatment Plant and significant sewer additions and upgrades were carried out in Durrow as part of the multimillion-euro Laois Grouped Towns Sewerage Scheme.

“Towns including Durrow were completed as part of this. Uisce Éireann currently has no plans to extend sewers further in Durrow under its current investment plan. There may be an option to advance such connections through Uisce Éireann’s Connections and Developer Service but these are customer-driven projects and it is the residents who fund such works e.g. by establishing a group scheme,” he concluded.

Director of Services, Donal Brennan, added that water services are no longer within the remit of the local authority and it is now up to Uisce Éireann.

“Our ability to do something is very limited,” he said.

The issue was raised at the recent Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick Municipal District meeting in County Hall, Portlaoise.

Durrow's wastewater treatment was upgraded under the Laois Grouped Towns Sewerage Scheme under a Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012. The towns that benefited were Abbeyleix, Durrow, Mountrath, Rathdowney and Stradbally.

The issue was raised at the recent Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick Municipal District meeting in County Hall, Portlaoise.