Latest news with #NiallGleeson
Extra.ie
6 days ago
- Business
- Extra.ie
Stark warning: Dublin faces citywide water shortages within five years
Uisce Éireann has warned water shortages will hit 'all customers' in Dublin in 'the next five years' due to 'critical' infrastructure issues. The chief executive of the utility, Niall Gleeson, has written to Housing Minister James Browne seeking 'an urgent meeting' over the matter. Mr Gleeson fears a multibillion-euro proposal to pump water from the River Shannon into the Greater Dublin Area to meet growing demand could be delayed for several years by planning objections from environmentalists. Housing Minister James Browne. Pic: Sam Boal/Collins He pointed to plans for a new wastewater plant that was expected to be operational this year, but now won't be delivered until 2032. In correspondence released to under Freedom of Information legislation, the Uisce Éireann boss said that issues with the supply of water in Dublin have become so dire that a drought in the Liffey today would result in immediate water restrictions. has previously revealed that thousands of new homes in Dublin are at risk because Uisce Éireann (Irish Water) needs tens of billions in investment. Niall Gleeson. Pic: Sasko Lazarov / © But the delivery of new homes is not the only serious problem emerging from Ireland's creaking water infrastructure. Mr Gleeson said the issues will affect 'not just the new housing targets but current and future foreign direct investment' in Dublin and across the country. He wrote: 'Significant population and economic growth over and above forecasts in the GDA (Greater Dublin Area) in the last three years means that there will be a shortage of water for all customers within the next five years. Greater Dublin. Pic: Getty Images 'This shortage can only be adequately addressed by prioritising the delivery of the Water Supply Project Eastern and Midlands Region (WSP).' The WSP will see water from the Shannon piped 170 km through counties Tipperary, Offaly, and Kildare to a reservoir at Peamount in Dublin, connecting into the GDA water supply network. The Department of Housing estimates that the project could cost over €10 billion. But Mr Gleeson has raised fears the WSP will run into significant planning delays. He referenced the Greater Dublin Drainage Project (GDD), which provides for a new wastewater treatment plant in Clonshaugh. The office of An Bord Pleanála in Dublin. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos It has been in planning for six years, with the original consent quashed 'on one ground only, over which Uisce Éireann had no control', and which related to a consultation between An Bord Pleanála and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This, he said, was 'a direct consequence of the overly complex multiple consenting regime in Ireland' The planning application was lodged in 2018, and the project was expected to be 'complete and operational by 2025'. However, he added: 'As a result of the ongoing planning delays, we now believe that, at best, the project may be delivered and operational by 2032.' Mr Gleeson then warned that he fears the same problems will befall the WSP. He said: 'Given the issues experienced on the GDD project, we are concerned that the WSP will suffer similar delays and will be tied up for years in the consenting processes.' However, a spokeswoman for the EPA said that An Bord Pleanála had not fulfilled its obligations to seek the agency's views on the DDP. She told 'The judgment in this case did not identify any shortcomings or omissions by the EPA. Uisce Éireann has submitted an application to the EPA, which is currently under review. 'A final decision will be made by the EPA on this licence once the necessary planning decision has been made.' A spokesman for Irish Water said the supply in the GDA is on a 'knife edge'. He said this may result in 'water conservation orders (hosepipe bans) or supply restrictions', particularly during periods of drought/high demand. He added: 'This is an unsustainable situation and is a symptom of the critical need to develop a new source of supply.' On housing, Mr Gleeson said it is estimated that to meet housing targets of 50,000 units per year, Irish Water would need an additional € 1.7 billion in a 'nationally multi-annual ring-fenced fund for housing and growth'. He added: 'Our projects are of national importance and without them there will be significant curtailment of the State's housing programme despite our best efforts'. A spokesman for the Department of Housing said that 'while there are risks to water supply until the Eastern and Midlands Water Supply Project is completed in the early 2030s, Uisce Éireann will take all possible action to maintain supply and support new connections'.
Irish Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Uisce Éireann needs €10.3bn to make up for ‘years of underinvestment'
There is 'little time' to overcome barriers and make changes needed to ensure vital water infrastructure is built to enable housing and economic growth, Uisce Éireann has told an Oireachtas committee. Top executives at the water utility, including chief executive Niall Gleeson, are attending the Oireachtas infrastructure committee on Wednesday afternoon. In his opening statement, Mr Gleeson told TDs and Senators that progressing water infrastructure is 'crucial to economic growth and development', and that the scale of its activities is 'enormous and complex'. 'An urgent approach is needed,' he said. 'We cannot afford to have projects of critical public importance tied up for another decade.' READ MORE Uisce Éireann outlined that it has a strategic funding requirement of €10.3 billion for capital infrastructure and assets, but that 'sustained ongoing investment will be required for many decades to offset the years of underinvestment in water services'. Mr Gleeson said it has made progress but that with the impact of changing regulations and standards, 'much more investment is needed to keep up with the demands of a growing population and economy'. He outlined that Uisce Éireann's funding plan was based on the original Housing for All programme approved by the last government – which was revised with new higher targets before that administration left office. Now, with a commitment of 300,000 new homes by 2030, Uisce Éireann says it needs an additional ring-fenced funding stream of €2 billion between 2025 and 2030, as well as reforms in policy, planning and resourcing. Uisce Éireann also criticised the nature of the funding cycle that the Government has chosen for the utility, which relies on year-on-year allocations in each budget, arguing for a multiannual funding structure rather than annual allocations. He told the committee that it takes five to seven years to get through all stages of a straightforward capital project, but seven to 10 years for more complex projects, and more than a decade for very complex investments. 'Reforms to planning and consenting regulations are needed urgently to ensure we can deliver vital infrastructure efficiently and continue to grant connections for new homes and businesses,' the committee heard. Mr Gleeson reiterated that the utility wants its infrastructure projects prioritised by An Bord Pleanála. A litany of issues affecting the greater Dublin area will also be detailed, which it says has significant implications for Ireland's competitiveness and population. 'Current and future social and economic development in the GDA and the provision of much needed new housing is reliant on connections to the water and wastewater networks that can only be guaranteed if there is certainty around the process and timeline for the urgent delivery of the Water Supply Project and the Greater Dublin Drainage scheme.' In the wake of sustained criticism of the utility from the political system, Mr Gleeson outlined the need for cross-party support that 'focuses attention on the 'common good'.'
Irish Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Uisce Éireann needs €10.3 billion to make up for ‘years of underinvestment'
There is 'little time' to overcome barriers and make changes needed to ensure vital water infrastructure is built to enable housing and economic growth, Uisce Éireann will tell an Oireachtas committee on Wednesday. Top executives at the water utility, including chief executive Niall Gleeson, will attend the Oireachtas infrastructure committee on Wednesday afternoon. Mr Gleeson will tell TDs and Senators that progressing water infrastructure is 'crucial to economic growth and development', and that the scale of its activities is 'enormous and complex'. 'An urgent approach is needed,' he will say. 'We cannot afford to have projects of critical public importance tied up for another decade.' READ MORE Uisce Éireann will outline that it has a strategic funding requirement of €10.3 billion for capital infrastructure and assets, but that 'sustained ongoing investment will be required for many decades to offset the years of underinvestment in water services'. It will say it has made progress but that with the impact of changing regulations and standards, 'much more investment is needed to keep up with the demands of a growing population and economy'. It will say its funding plan was based on the original Housing for All programme approved by the last government – which was revised with new higher targets before that administration left office. Now, with a commitment of 300,000 new homes by 2030, Uisce Éireann says it needs an additional ring-fenced funding stream of €2 billion between 2025 and 2030, as well as reforms in policy, planning and resourcing. Uisce Éireann will also criticise the nature of the funding cycle that the Government has chosen for the utility, which relies on year-on-year allocations in each budget, arguing for a multiannual funding structure rather than annual allocations. It will say that it takes five to seven years to get through all stages of a straightforward capital project, but seven to 10 years for more complex projects, and more than a decade for very complex investments. 'Reforms to planning and consenting regulations are needed urgently to ensure we can deliver vital infrastructure efficiently and continue to grant connections for new homes and businesses,' the committee will hear. It will reiterate that it wants its infrastructure projects prioritised by An Bord Pleanála. A litany of issues affecting the greater Dublin area will also be detailed, which it says has significant implications for Ireland's competitiveness and population. 'Current and future social and economic development in the GDA and the provision of much needed new housing is reliant on connections to the water and wastewater networks that can only be guaranteed if there is certainty around the process and timeline for the urgent delivery of the Water Supply Project and the Greater Dublin Drainage scheme.' In the wake of sustained criticism of the utility from the political system, Mr Gleeson will outline the need for cross-party support that 'focuses attention on the 'common good'.'
RTÉ News
7 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
Uisce Éireann needs €2bn to help reach Govt housing targets
Uisce Éireann will tell TDs and Senators today that it requires an additional €2bn to deliver the water services capacity needed to reach the Government's revised housing targets. The water services utility is to appear before the Oireachtas Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery. Chief executive Niall Gleeson will say that the new higher housing targets of 300,000 new homes by 2030 means it requires additional ringfenced funding. Uisce Eireann's funding plan for 2025-2029 has already set out a funding requirement of €10.3bn investment for capital infrastructure and assets. But Mr Gleeson now says that €2bn additional funding is needed between 2025 and 2030 to support this level of housing growth. In the utility's opening statement, seen by RTÉ News, it says this additional funding would focus on ensuring the appropriate water and wastewater infrastructure is in place to facilitate new housing in areas prioritised for new development under the National Planning Framework. Mr Gleeson also calls for more certainty around its funding and the Government's investment commitments. He says: "Many of our stakeholders across the supply chain have highlighted the challenges in being able to meet demands without clarity as to our funding programme and the provision of one-off investment. "Additionally, the annual allocation of funding to Uisce Éireann creates further uncertainty year-on-year. An effective solution is to align our funding allocation to our overall investment programme through a multiannual funding structure so we can better plan and deliver longterm projects, maximise efficiencies and provide greater certainty to our supply chain." Mr Gleeson also warns that the Greater Dublin Area is facing serious water supply and wastewater capacity challenges. He says this is related to water services infrastructure struggling to keep pace with population, housing and commercial growth. "These are not just Dublin problems; they have significant implications for Ireland's competitiveness and population. The region and counties therein are home to a large number of our citizens and a base for economic activity – and they are growing," he adds.
Irish Examiner
10-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Uisce Éireann chief says 'banana' objectors are delaying projects and costing the State billions
Environmental objectors to infrastructure projects are costing the taxpayer billions and stopping young people from buying homes, the CEO of Uisce Éireann has claimed. Niall Gleeson, who was speaking at the official opening of a wastewater treatment plant in Arklow, Co Wicklow, said that a similar project in north Dublin which had received planning permission at the same time was yet to begin due to planning objections. This, he said, had potentially doubled the cost from its €600m build cost in 2019. He said the project had had 18 objections, only one of which had been upheld by the courts. Much of the basis for objections was environmental, he added, but said that this was wrong. Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Uisce Éireann CEO Niall Gleeson with local children, 13-year-old Isobelle Gaffney and 10-year-old Harriet Gaffney, at the new Arklow wastewater treatment plant, part of a €139m investment to end raw sewage discharge into the Avoca River. Picture: Naoise Culhane CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB 'Environmentalists are really just effectively delaying projects, I mean we are… the environmental improvers here. We are improving the environment', Mr Gleeson said. He said that while many objectors are legitimate 'others are just serial objectors, and they are not adding any value and in fact the common good is being ignored in this whole process'. He said a 'cohort of people in this country... don't want to build anything', and referred to the acronym 'banana' — 'build absolutely nothing anywhere near anything'. 'We need to work on the objectors. They're not really helping the environment. They're just costing the taxpayer hundreds of millions and they're stopping our children from getting homes.' Asked by the Irish Examiner about the scale of the issue, Mr Gleeson said it was likely that billions of euro worth of development was stalled. 'I would say that if you took it, the taxpayer and the State, it is probably in the billions. Private entities are losing a fortune through this kind of stuff as well. 'I know there's a lot of work being done on the planning process and, actually, a lot of the planning process works pretty well with the local authorities and An Bord Pleanála, But it's the ones that are tricky to get through, the larger projects, that I think we need extra support. "But that cost is real.' Mr Gleeson later added that Irish Water, now known as Uisce Éireann, is happy with its current level of funding. At the same event, Taoiseach Micheál Martin responded that the recently-passed Planning Act had streamlined the judicial review process, but said the courts should not be where planning applications are decided. 'That [act] has to be commenced now, but we do have a written constitution so these are not issues you can sort out at the stroke of a pen," Mr Martin said. "Once we go through planning, once you go through the local authorities, once you go through An Bord Pleanála, the pre-planning for all of that, the courts should not be ultimately the place where planning applications to get determined in my view.' In 2023, a new Planning and Environmental Division of the High Court was launched. It currently has four judges and hears a number of cases weekly.
