Uisce Éireann chief says 'banana' objectors are delaying projects and costing the State billions

Housing minister James Browne and Taoiseach Micheál Martin, centre, with Uisce Éireann's  infrastructure delivery director Maria O’Dwyer, CEO Niall Gleeson, and chairman Jerry Grant at the new Arklow wastewater treatment plant. Picture: Naoise Culhane

Environmental objectors to infrastructure projects are costing the taxpayer billions and stopping young people from buying homes, the CEO of Uisce Éireann has claimed.

Niall Gleeson, who was speaking at the official opening of a wastewater treatment plant in Arklow, Co Wicklow, said that a similar project in north Dublin which had received planning permission at the same time was yet to begin due to planning objections.