SEETHING councillors in Killarney have tabled a motion of no confidence in Irish Water following confirmation of yet another long delay in the provision of the desperately needed Kilcummin Sewerage Scheme which has been long-fingered for years.
Mayor of Killarney, Cllr Michael Gleeson, remarked: ‘They are not worthy of our respect”.
Officials from the national water utility have refused to meet with Killarney Municipal District Council but issued a brief statement which was hand-delivered to councillors at a meeting in the town hall this Wednesday.
The statement divulged that the delivery timelines for the Kilcummin scheme have again been amended and construction is not now expected to commence until early 2022.
Land acquisition, through compulsory purchase or otherwise, will continue this year and the current plan is to a appoint a contractor in 2021.
Senior Kerry County Council official, John Breen, said he has informed Irish Water management of the local authority’s displeasure and he said the latest delay has left the council “disappointed, frustrated and shocked”.
He said Irish Water had been asked to send a representative to discuss the matter with councillors but the answer received was that they do not attend municipal meetings.
Mr Breen said plans for a major upgrade of seriously sub-standard roads network in Kilcummin – which had been delayed to allow the sewerage scheme to be completed – would now proceed as a matter of immediate priority.
“We have expressed our frustration. We must proceed with the roads now and additional costs incurred afterwards will have to be borne by Irish Water,” he stated.
Councillors complained bitterly that at a recent consultation with Irish Water officials they were given a completely different timeline for the work.
Cllr Marie Moloney, who lives in Kilcummin, said the matter has been a bone of contention for years and the problem keeps “getting kicked down the road”.
“How long is a piece of string? It’s never going to end,” said Cllr Moloney who added that she would be calling a public meeting in Kilcummin where the locals are “sick of it, annoyed and frustrated”.
Cllr Niall O’Callaghan said he attended that consultation with Irish Water and he was told that once the compulsory purchase of land had been dealt with, construction work would commence this September and not 2022.
“I sat across from people that I knew weren’t telling me the truth. They wanted to get me out of the room. They came into that meeting all lovey dovey and didn’t tell us the truth,” he said.
“I’m absolutely distraught and disgusted that Irish Water could treat the people of Kilcummin with utter contempt,” Cllr O’Callaghan added.
Cllr Niall Kelleher said he was “aghast and disgusted” by the delay and he proposed a vote of no confidence in Irish Water, which was seconded by Cllr O’Callaghan and agreed unanimously.
“There have been several three-card tricks done on us by Irish Water. I have no confidence in them. They are some sort of performing artists and all they are doing is taking the people of Kilcummin for a ride,” he said.
Cllr Brendan Cronin claimed the council members were betrayed and lied to and it was now time to call a spade a spade.
“We handed the entire network over to Irish Water, the whole blasted thing, and they looked us in the face and lied to us,” he stated.
Cllr Cronin said the problem is that Irish Water is not publicly accountable and he said it was disgraceful that officials would not meet with the council.
“It’s a closed shop, a real dictatorship. They are treacherous. They have no respect,” he added.
Cllr Maura Healy-Rae remarked: “The people of Kilcummin, at this stage, don’t really give a fiddler’s about the sewerage scheme. They care about the road and that’s their priority,” she said.
Cllr Healy-Rae said the condition of the road is resulting in cars being wrecked and there have been several near misses.
Cllr Donal Grady said he was disappointed but not surprised at the delay.
“It’s not the first time the rug has been pulled from under us. We must get the road done and we must do it now,” he said.
Mayor of Killarney, Cllr Michael Gleeson, said it was the first time for many years that he had seen so many of his colleagues totally shocked be a decision.
“One thing you never do is disrespect the public and the people of Kilcummin have been totally disrespected. They have shown great tolerance but they have been treated with contempt and that is always wrong,” the mayor said.
Of Irish Water Cllr Gleeson added: “They are worthy of nothing other than a vote of no confidence. They are not worthy of our respect”.
Councillors and management stressed that they will not shoulder the blame for the long delays and they are now determined to proceed with laying the new road surface even though it will be dug up again when the sewerage scheme works will commence.
The road at Inchicullane will be done first and the remaining road works will follow as soon as possible.
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