Laois County Council have said that Ballyfin locals must wait another two years to apply for funding for a sewerage treatment plant.

Fianna Fáil Cllr Seamus McDonald recently tabled a motion that the Council seek funding, which was seconded by Independent Cllr Ollie Clooney.

"Any new group water schemes or group sewerage schemes will be required to apply for funding under the Multi Annual Rural Water Programme (MARWP) funded by the Department of Housing, Locals Government and Heritage," replied Mr Adrian Barrett, Senior Engineer with the Council.

"The current MARWP is in progress and runs from 2024-2026. It is expected that funding call for next MARWP will commence in 2027 at the earliest," he said.

Cllr McDonald welcomed this reply, yet expressed his disappointment at the two year delay.

"I will relay that response back to the people and community of Ballyfin," Cllr McDonald said.

"There’s a lot of houses in Ballyfin, huge schools, the church and Ballyfin House, and yet there’s no sewerage in place, as we all know. It’s a year and a half away, but it’s a long time. I will report back to the committee," he said.

Cllr Clooney supported Cllr McDonald, and was frustrated with this response from the Council.

"I just want to congratulate Cllr McDonald on bringing this, it is a countrywide problem in rural villages, everyone knows my views on it," Cllr Clooney said.

"I have very strong views on it, and we’re getting nowhere with it. Absolutely nowhere, and something has to change," he said.

"There was a budget recently and they got more money, but how much of this money will come to rural areas? I say none. We have to keep up the fight, and hopefully someone will cop on and put a bit of structures and sewerage in rural areas, that they can live, breathe and regenerate.without that im afraid were going to die a little death. Without houses and young people, it'll die," he finished.

Mountmellick Fianna Fáil Cllr Paddy Bracken saw similar issues in his own area.

"I want to support that motion, I don't know when funding will be got for these jobs, the same applies to my own town of  Mountmellick, and the rural parts on the outskirts of the town have no sewerage connections either," Cllr Bracken highlighted.

"Nothing has been progressed on it either. I know that money has been allocated under the budget with Uisce Eireann, but whether anything will be done, I have my doubts," he finished.

This motion was tabled at the October sitting of Laois County Council's Borris in Ossory / Mountmellick Municipal District.

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