Uisce Éireann seeking extra money for capital investment
Paul Cunningham reports on Uisce Éireann's confirmation today that one billion Euro given to it in last year's budget forms part of its existing funding plan. Labour's Finance and Public Expenditure Spokesman, Ged Nash, also joins News At One to discuss the matter.
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Irish Times
14 hours ago
- Irish Times
Swimming banned at Dollymount Strand due to suspected sewage discharge after heavy rainfall
Swimming has been banned at Dollymount strand in Dublin Bay after a 'suspected discharge' of sewage following heavy rainfall. The restriction at the popular designated bathing area on North Bull Island will continue over the coming days. Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin Donna Cooney criticised the way the alert was issued and Uisce Éireann for failing to indicate the source of the discharge. 'This is disgraceful at the start of the bathing season,' she said. READ MORE She said alerts about bathing restrictions needed to be more widely disseminated, as she had found people swimming on the beach despite the measure being in place. Cllr Cooney, a member of the Green Party, said she received an alert to confirm water quality at the beach was 'excellent' on May 26th, but got no notice about the recent restriction. She said the utility company should have indicated where the discharge happened, given that real-time monitoring is supposed to be taking place at its Ringsend wastewater treatment plant. Ms Cooney is a regular swimmer at Dollymount and at the Bull Wall Ladies Shelter. She said she was concerned the discharge would lead to algal blooms as seawater warmed in the coming weeks, which would affect swimmers, water sports activities and marine life in the bay. Discharges have occurred intermittently from the plant, which has been operating at excess capacity for many years. Uisce Éireann said the discharge arose due to overflows from storm tanks at the Ringsend plant. 'There is online monitoring of these storm tanks and Dublin City Council, who are responsible for monitoring of bathing water quality, are notified of any overflows during the bathing season,' said a spokesman. 'Stormwater overflows are an essential part of any wastewater network that enable excess flows to be discharged into the sea, rivers or watercourses in a controlled and regulated manner ... Stormwater discharges normally do not have a lasting effect on bathing waters,' he added. 'The tide will wash out the spill and the salt water and sunlight acts to clean the water. Uisce Éireann apologises for any inconvenience caused and regrets the impact overflow incidents may have on beach users.' Uisce Éireann is investing more than €500 million to upgrade the plant so it can serve a 2.4 million population equivalent by the end of 2025. 'The upgrade of Ringsend means the capacity will be increased and these incidents will be fewer in number, although in extreme weather conditions they could still occur,' said the spokesman. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Health Service Executive have been informed, while the council, which erected notices at Dollymount, said it is awaiting laboratory results to determine whether the temporary prohibition can be lifted.
Irish Times
a day ago
- Irish Times
Bathing restrictions at Dublin Bay's main beach in Dollymount follow suspected sewage discharge after heavy rainfall
Swimming has been banned at Dollymount strand in Dublin Bay after a 'suspected discharge' of sewage following heavy rainfall. The restriction at the popular designated bathing area on North Bull Island will continue over the coming days. Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin Donna Cooney criticised the way the alert was issued and Uisce Éireann for failing to indicate the source of the discharge. 'This is disgraceful at the start of the bathing season,' she said. READ MORE She said alerts about bathing restrictions needed to be more widely disseminated, as she had found people swimming on the beach despite the measure being in place. Cllr Cooney, a member of the Green Party, said she received an alert to confirm water quality at the beach was 'excellent' on May 26th, but got no notice about the recent restriction. She said the utility company should have indicated where the discharge happened, given that real-time monitoring is supposed to be taking place at its Ringsend wastewater treatment plant. Ms Cooney is a regular swimmer at Dollymount and at the Bull Wall Ladies Shelter. She said she was concerned the discharge would lead to algal blooms as seawater warmed in the coming weeks, which would affect swimmers, water sports activities and marine life in the bay. Discharges have occurred intermittently from the plant, which has been operating at excess capacity for many years. Uisce Éireann said the discharge arose due to overflows from storm tanks at the Ringsend plant. 'There is online monitoring of these storm tanks and Dublin City Council, who are responsible for monitoring of bathing water quality, are notified of any overflows during the bathing season,' said a spokesman. 'Stormwater overflows are an essential part of any wastewater network that enable excess flows to be discharged into the sea, rivers or watercourses in a controlled and regulated manner ... Stormwater discharges normally do not have a lasting effect on bathing waters,' he added. 'The tide will wash out the spill and the salt water and sunlight acts to clean the water. Uisce Éireann apologises for any inconvenience caused and regrets the impact overflow incidents may have on beach users.' Uisce Éireann is investing more than €500 million to upgrade the plant so it can serve a 2.4 million population equivalent by the end of 2025. 'The upgrade of Ringsend means the capacity will be increased and these incidents will be fewer in number, although in extreme weather conditions they could still occur,' said the spokesman. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Health Service Executive have been informed, while the council, which erected notices at Dollymount, said it is awaiting laboratory results to determine whether the temporary prohibition can be lifted.
The Journal
a day ago
- The Journal
Justice Minister says €325,000 deportation flight to Nigeria is ‘value for money'
JUSTICE MINISTER JIM O'Callaghan has said last night's chartered flight for deportations which cost close to €325,000 is 'value for money'. Last night, 35 people were deported on a chartered flight to Lagos, Nigeria. This included 21 men, nine women and five children – the children removed are all part of family groups. It's the third chartered flight so far this year and was carried out by the Garda National Immigration Bureau, following two previous chartered flights to Georgia. O'Callaghan said the flight 'landed safely this morning', though it did have to make an unscheduled stop due to a medical incident on board. When a person does not comply with a deportation order they can be arrested and detained to ensure their deportation. The Department of Justice said carries out enforced removals as a 'last resort' when a person does not remove themselves from the State. Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, O'Callaghan said the exact cost of last night's flight was €324,714. The first chartered flight to Georgia in February cost just over €102,000 , and O'Callaghan told the Dáil that the second flight in April would cost around €200,000 . O'Callaghan said the cost of last night's flight includes the cost of employing gardaí for this purpose. He described the fee of close to €325,000 as the 'standard price'. Advertisement 'You have to look at the alternative to it,' said O'Callaghan. 'My department is spending €1.2 billion this year just in terms of accommodation for people who are seeking asylum. 'We do it because we're obliged to do so, but there has to be a consequence.' He added that the flight costs provides 'value for money'. 'Not just in terms of the cost of a charter flight,' said O'Callaghan, 'but also it is sending out a very clear message that deportation orders mean something. 'If you have a deportation order, you're required to leave the country. If you don't do so voluntarily, it will be enforced.' He added: 'It's in the interest of people who are granted asylum, that persons who are rejected for asylum are forced to leave. 'Otherwise the asylum system becomes meaningless.' Meanwhile, O'Callaghan remarked that such enforced deportations 'is not a very pleasant part of the job'. 'But in terms of ensuring that we have a rules based system, it is absolutely essential that we have a response and a consequence to people who have been served with a deportation order yet do not comply with it,' he added. O'Callaghan also said that such chartered flights will be a 'fairly frequent and regular response to the issue'. 'People have to know that if they're served with a deportation order, it has meaning. 'If it is the case that you're not permitted to stay, there must be a consequence otherwise the whole system becomes meaningless.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
