Green light for E45m sewerage plan ‘gimmick’

John Murphy

They will be constructed in the neighbouring towns of Tallow and Cappoquin; the seaside resorts of Ardmore and Dunmore East, together with the villages of Stradbally, Kilmacthomas and Kilmeaden.

“It is a hugely important project for the county,” said Mr Cullen.

He rejected opposition claims that his sanctioning of the schemes was a local election gimmick, and said the funding would be available from the moment the work was ready to start.

“Once the contract documents have been completed the next step will be the invitation of tenders,’’ the minister said.

A spokesman for Waterford County Council said that they will now appoint consultants and attempt to finalise the acquisition of land for the construction of treatment plants. He was hopeful they will be going to tender in 2005. Fianna Fáil county councillor Kevin Wilkinson said the schemes would provide major developmental potential for towns such as Cappoquin and Tallow, and lambasted the “sour grapes’’

response from the opposition parties. “Had the Minister for the Environment not sanctioned the E45 million for the seven schemes, the Government would have been slammed for its failure to do so, and now that the money has been sanctioned, so the best they can come up with is a cry of ‘gimmick’,’’ said Mr Wilkinson.