Request for public water taps in locations around Mayo

IRISH Water is being asked to work with Mayo County Council to deliver taps in public areas for drinking water refills, to cut back on plastic bottles.

The matter came before the council's environment committee this week where Councillor Peter Flynn said it was incumbent on them to try and push it forward.

A local business in Mulranny were working with other local authorities installing equipment to facilitate public water supplies, he pointed out.

The focus should be on places like playgrounds, beaches and greenways.

Committee cathaoirleach Councillor Blackie Gavin said they would invite Irish Water to meet them to develop a simple policy.

Work has taken place with schools, environment head Martin Keating said, and a policy on doing it elsewhere needed to be progressed.

IFA representative John Davitt felt public taps were an excellent idea.

He had felt 'dismay' recently, he said, to see bottled water from a retailer that had been imported from Italy.

“How, I asked, when we have so much water in Mayo,” he told the meeting.