Clare County Council says it isn’t in a position to allow privately-led construction of wastewater infrastructure without Irish Water’s approval.
Councillors have backed a motion at this week’s monthly meeting to call on the local authority to allow private businesses to build wastewater plants.
This week’s monthly meeting of Clare County Council has heard that 52 of Clare’s 85 towns and villages don’t have adequate wastewater infrastructure.
Strong concerns were raised by local representatives that these areas won’t adequately develop without the relevant facilities in the context of the now delayed County Development Plan.
Councillors want the local authority to allow private operators to build what’s needed to allow these towns and villages to develop.
Lisdoonvarna-based Fine Gael Councillor Joe Garrihy says if the measure was brought in with adequate regulation, it would be a risk worth taking.
The local authority says it will ‘engage’ with Irish Water and attempt to put measures in place where the utility will facilitate private infrastructure on multi-unit housing developments.
However, in its reply to representatives, the Council says without Irish Water giving the proposal the green light, it wouldn’t be ‘in a position’ to allow such works to take place.
Members are to be advised of the progress of negotiations through the County Development Plan process.
Kilrush-based Independent Councillor Ian Lynch believes change to wastewater infrastructure is needed on a ‘rapid timescale’.