Uisce Éireann should be fined over discharge into Mayo bay

UISCE Éireann should be fined for every day that raw sewage continues to be pumped into Clew Bay from Newport.

The call has come from Councillor Brendan Mulroy who says the latest completion date for a sewerage treatment plant for the town is 2028.

At a meeting of Mayo County Council, he asked that a formal complaint should be sent to the EPA to fine the water utilities company on a daily basis.

Irish Water had given a start date for the project of 2016, to be completed in '21.

Now, the EPA said the start date would be quarter 3 of 2026, with completion in Q2 of 2028.

Councillor Mulroy said he had asked the EPA to prosecute Uisce Éireann over raw sewage going into the bay every day until the plant is completed.

Councillor Johnny O'Malley commented: “Irish Water have been fooling the people of Newport for a long time.”

Raw sewage, he said, has been going out into the bay since 1965.

Director of services John Condon said the council has taken the matter up with Uisce Éireann and it is taking longer than they would like.

The matter could be brought to the attention of the EPA, however only the courts could impose fines and it would be a matter for the EPA how they wished to proceed against Uisce Éireann.

Commenting on this and other members' experiences with Irish Water, Councillor Damien Ryan suggested they be invited to attend the local authority's next meeting in October.