‘The whole place is uprooted and residents have gone mad’

Deputy Healy-Rae said there have been residents’ meetings because the traffic is unbelievable

Another request asking the government to waive the connection fee for residents wanting to link up with the new Kilcummin sewerage scheme, which is currently under construction, has been heard in the Dáil.

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae said Kerry County Council always waived the connection fee and placed a pipe up to the boundary fence or wall to allow people to connect to the system and he asked that Uisce Éireann do likewise.

“The whole place is uprooted and residents have gone mad. There have been residents’ meetings because the traffic up there is unbelievable,” the Kerry TD stated.

He said motorists cannot gain access to the main road and are instead using back roads where there are lorries going off into dykes and cars being damaged.

“The whole place is a mess. Irish Water is saying the residents can pay €3,900 at a later stage but that is out the window if the depth is more than 2m or 3m. Many of the areas on the road in question are between 5m and 7m down. The cost will increase way more once the depth is more than 2.5m,” he said.

Deputy Healy-Rae said the costs involved will result in many of the residents never being able to connect to the scheme and there are between 50 and 70 houses affected.

“At present, many of them do not have the €3,900 needed. When the ground is open, very little work is needed to bring the pipe up to the fence,” he added.

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae
Minister Malcolm Noonan

Deputy Healy-Rae said Kilcummin is one of the biggest parishes in the country with big numbers travelling to schools or nursing homes or to and from Killarney town.

“The way this is being done is ridiculous. There is a lot of hullabaloo and work is going on but no one is connecting to the sewer. We are trying protect the lakes of Killarney,” he said.

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Malcolm Noonan, said the Kilcummin sewerage scheme and the provision of Kerry wastewater services in general are matters for Uisce Éireann in the first instance and, in terms of connection fees, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities is the body responsible

He said Uisce Éireann officials had held meetings with Killarney Municipal District Council to discuss the matter,

The plans for the Kilcummin sewerage scheme

The scope of the Kilcummin sewerage scheme included installation of a sewer network and the construction of a pumping station.

The minister said it will provide a new sewer collection system for Kilcummin village and will ensure wastewater from the village is treated appropriately.

“It will improve water quality in the River Deenagh and Lough Leane and, more generally, provide scope to facilitate future development within the catchment and ensure compliance with EU and Irish wastewater regulations,” Minister of State Noonan stated.

Deputy Healy-Rae said the minister and the government is putting the responsibility on Irish Water but they will take credit for what is being done and for the money they have given.

“I am asking for the connection fee to be waived. Why is Irish Water saving this miserly sum of money and putting people to the torment of what is going on but achieving nothing?” he asked.

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