Shannon water extraction proposal ‘ill-considered’

OPPONENTS of a plan to extract water from the River Shannon to guarantee future supplies for the greater Dublin region claim the project is “ill-considered” and “risky in the extreme”.

The River Shannon Protection Alliance (RSPA) said there was deep concern among people living along the length of the river about the impact of large-scale extraction of water.

Members of the group told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Environment that no real alternatives had been considered by the promoters of the project, which include seven local authorities headed by Dublin City Council and Bord na Móna.

Promoters have proposed the development of a €540 million eco-park on a depleted bog site at Garryhinch, Co Laois, to include a 700-acre reservoir to contain water extracted from the Shannon, before onward pumping to the Dublin region.

The RSPA’s secretary Joc Saunders said their concerns were based on the potential threat of damage to ecology. He described the project as “unsustainable”.

The RSPA expressed fear that plans to drain 4.7 cubic metres of water per second for 10 months of the year would include periods of low flow which the group claims traditionally last up to four months.

Mr Saunders also criticised estimated demand levels for water put forward by Dublin City Council. However, he said he would have no objection to the scheme if it was conclusively proven it would not cause damage to the Shannon.

Environmental consultant Jack O’Sullivan claimed the capital’s future water requirements could be met through greater conservation methods and control of leaks.