Govt denies neglecting safety of Galway water supplies

The Government has denied neglecting the safety of drinking water supplies in Galway city and council.

The Mayor of Galway is calling on the Minister for the Environment to help the local authorities improve water treatment facilities following the contamination of the local supply with the cryptosporidium parasite.

He says the existing facilities are outdated and need to be replaced as a matter of urgency.

However, Minister for Rural Affairs Éamon Ó Cuív said today that €21.5m had already been made available to Galway City Council since 2002 for water treatment services.

He said the onus was on the city council to explain why it had failed to utilise these funds.