‘Constrained' water supply jeopardises new Dublin suburb with 6,000 homes
has warned
Dublin City Council
over worsening water and sewage capacity that could jeopardise the local authority's plans for a new suburb of 6,000 homes on one of the capital's largest industrial estates.
Water capacity for Dublin has deteriorated to 'amber status' level, Uisce Éireann told the council, meaning supplies are now 'constrained'.
The utility company also said future population growth in Dublin is 'dependent' on the construction of a new municipal sewage plant.
Uisce Éireann wrote to the council in response to the draft Ballyboggan Masterplan, which will govern the redevelopment of the 77 hectare Dublin Industrial Estate opposite
Glasnevin Cemetery
.
READ MORE
The plan, the largest regeneration of industrial lands since the Dublin Docklands, is, the council said, crucial to meeting 'national targets for housing delivery on brownfield lands within urban areas'.
Uisce Éireann said housing growth for Dublin is dependent on the delivery of two large-scale water and wastewater projects, which have been long delayed and are not now expected to be in place within the development plan timeframe for the Dublin Industrial Estate.
The statement is at variance with the utility's position two years ago when the council began planning for the rezoning of the vast landbank, which is close to the suburbs of Cabra, Ashtown and Finglas.
In May 2023, Uisce Éireann said the industrial estate was in an 'established water network and is located adjacent to large trunk mains. In general, the area may require local upgrades', which would be examined when connections were requested.
In relation to wastewater, in the same letter Uisce Éireann said there was an 'established sewer network in this area' with possible upgrades to pumping stations required.
However, in recent days Uisce Éireann told the council that since it made its 2023 submission, Dublin's water supplies have 'turned to amber status' and were now constrained.
'This status will most likely remain in place until the [Shannon to Dublin] Water Supply Project is in place.' This project is not expected to be completed until after 2032.
I think we need to look at things like statutory timelines for connections to water, to electricity, because there's far too many delays
—
Tánaiste Simon Harris
Similarly, it said growth in the capital's population was 'dependent on the completion of the Greater Dublin Drainage Project' to process the sewage of north Dublin. This project has so far been in the planning system for seven years.
The submission to the council, is the latest in a series of warnings from Uisce Éireann on its ability to supply new homes.
Uisce Éireann chairman Jerry Grant recently told a
Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland
conference that the State's water and sewerage systems 'are in a desperate state' because of 'extraordinary complacency' and 'passive indifference'.
He warned that a new approach from the Government was needed if targets of 50,000 homes annually are to be met.
[
What is the water quality like at your local beach? Use our table to check
Opens in new window
]
[
Uisce Éireann's €1bn budget funding 'not additional' and 'contradicts' impression given to public
Opens in new window
]
Mr Grant also outlined funding concerns in a letter to previous minister for housing Darragh O'Brien.
Meanwhile, Tánaiste Simon Harris has indicated Uisce Éireann could face new legally binding deadlines for connecting new housing projects to the water system.
In an interview with The Irish Times Inside Politics podcast, the Fine Gael leader said he did not want to be 'provocative' in dealing with the utility or the ESB, 'but we need to know that in return for providing Irish Water X billion more, that would result in Y more homes. Similar for the ESB in connections'.
'I think we need to look at things like statutory timelines for connections to water, to electricity, because there's far too many delays in relation to that.'
Having such obligations for connections would, he said, 'make a very significant difference in terms of building up the delivery of homes'.
The council will review submissions on the masterplan before city councillors are later this year asked for approval to allow the land to be rezoned from industrial to residential use.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Kildare data centre plan faces fresh objections
Friends of the Earth Ireland , An Taisce and Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) have called on Kildare County Council to refuse planning permission for a €3 billion data centre due mainly to the increased greenhouse gas emissions it will produce. In August of last year, multimillionaire engineering entrepreneur and co-owner of Monaghan-based forklift manufacturer, Combilift, Robert Moffett through his Herbata Ltd vehicle, lodged plans for the six data centre campus for a site next to the M7 motorway and business park at Naas, Co Kildare In October, the council stalled the plan after stating that the projected CO2 emissions from the data centre campus on lands is 'excessive' for one development. In June, Herbata lodged extensive further information on the scheme in response to the concerns pointing out that the data centre will not be reliant upon the existing electricity generation and will get 50 per cent of its power from renewables. READ MORE Consultants for the applicants, RPS stated that the utilisation of Combined Cycle Gas Turbines (CCGT) would result in a consequent reduction of 552,000 tonnes in greenhouse gas emissions However, in new submissions ahead of a council planning decision this week, Friends of the Earth Ireland, An Taisce and FIE call on the Council to reject the plan while County Kildare Chamber has urged the planning authority to grant permission On behalf of FIE, Tony Lowes highlighted the data centres' projected high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and incompatibility with Ireland's climate obligations He states that the development 'could emit nearly one million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year. Over five years, this would account for almost a quarter of Ireland's electricity sector carbon budget—posing a major adverse impact on national emissions targets'. On behalf of Friends of the Earth Ireland, campaigns director Jerry Mac Evilly said 'the central message of this submission is that the applicant has not clearly or sufficiently addressed significant emissions impacts of the six gas-powered data centres. We therefore call for the application to be rejected'. On behalf of An Taisce, senior planning and environmental policy officer, Phoebe Duvall has told the council that to grant permission 'would be in contravention of Ireland's legally binding emissions reduction obligations and contrary to the national climate objective'. In a submission on behalf of County Kildare Chamber, its ceo, Sinead Ronan has told the council that 'this proposal presents a forward-looking opportunity to enhance the local economy, support employment and position Kildare as a leader in sustainable digital infrastructure. The project also has a clear alignment to planning policy, climate goals and heritage protection'.
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
‘Community spirit on tap': Residents of Co Limerick village join forces to save its last pub
Residents of a Co Limerick village have pooled their money and pulled together to cancel last orders at their local pub. The group, involving 25 men and one woman, bought the former Ahern's pub in Kilteely, which was on the market for €300,000, as they feared it would be closed for good after the previous owners retired. It has been rebranded as The Street Bar by the group, none of whom has pub trade experience. Among them is a barrister, a psychologist, a solicitor, a pharmacist, a carpenter, an accountant, a teacher, farmers, builders, electricians and others. The idea came about as locals in Kilteely had seen the closure of a range of businesses – pubs, shops, post offices and a creamery – in the not too distant past and were keen to avoid another loss in their small community. READ MORE Noel O'Dea, a landscape gardener who invested in the pub, said the only other business in the village, a recycling venture, was set up by locals after the last recession hit 'because employment was hard to get'. It now employs seven people. 'They say it takes a village to raise a child, but I tell you, it also takes a village to save its pub,' he said, adding that the bar 'was our last meeting place'. 'We just couldn't see the people in the village having no place to go to because otherwise it is just a group of houses.' The ownership group is also considering how best to use a shop premises that was included in the pub sale. 'There were a few suggestions but I don't think we would get away with some of them,' Mr O'Dea added. Another member of the group, barrister Liam Carroll, said rural pubs are dying out all over the country. While acknowledging there is little or no profit to be had in such a venture, Mr Carroll said he would still encourage others elsewhere to do likewise for the good of their communities. 'Hopefully we can keep it going, employ a few people and harness the community spirit that we have on tap here.'
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Lee Hotels group pays out €6m in dividends over two years
The family owned Lee Hotels group which operates the Mespil Hotel in Dublin 4 and the Sligo Park Hotel has paid out combined equity dividends of €6 million over the past two years. Consolidated accounts filed by Lee Hotels show that pretax profits declined by 13 per cent to €5.19 million in the 12 months to the end of September 2024. This followed revenues remaining flat at €24 million where the group's Mespil Hotel contributed €14.43 million and the Sligo Park Hotel generated €9.59 million. The four star Sligo Park Hotel in Sligo town operates 136 bedrooms while the four star Mespil Hotel has 259 rooms. READ MORE In January 2024, Dublin City Council granted planning permission to the Mespil Hotel for an additional 47 rooms to bring the total number to 306 and included a proposal to extend the existing bar area into the terrace area on Burlington Road. However, planning consultants for the hotel firm, BMA Planning told the council in a follow up application last December that 'for operational and commercial reasons, the applicant now wishes to proceed with the bar extension in isolation from the remainder of the permitted works' and planning permission was granted in March of this year for the bar extension. The hotel group is controlled by the Kidney family and last year Lee Hotels paid out €2 million in dividends and this followed a dividend payout of €4 million in the prior year. Grace , Denis , Susanne and John Kidney each own 20 per cent of the business with Robert Lee Kidney, Deirdre Kidney and Laoise Sareen sharing the final 20 per cent of the business. The directors' note with the accounts said that trading for the year was satisfactory. The group recorded a post tax profit of €4.47 million after incurring a corporation tax charge of €712,069. Numbers employed increased by one to 248 as staff costs increased marginally from €8.41 million to €8.46 million. Directors' pay decreased from €1.02 million to €816,663.
