Group claims council putting ‘cart before horse’

A group opposed to the controversial extraction of 350m litres of water a day from the Shannon for use as drinking water in Dublin has accused Dublin City Council of “putting the cart before the horse”.

Dublin City Council will seek planning permission next month via the Strategic Infrastructure Act for a 1,400-acre reservoir at Garryhinch, near Portarlington, Co Laois.

Under the plan, water will be pumped from Lough Derg in Tipperary through a new pipeline to the cut-away bog reservoir, where it will be treated before being transported to the capital and surrounding counties.