Housing and industry development on Beara Peninsula stalled due to mussel 

EU-protected freshwater pearl mussel in river preventing sourcing of further public drinking water in Castletownbere area, councillors told

A cap on the extraction of water from Glenbeg Lake — which supplies Casteletownbere, Eyeries and Ardgroom — means the public supply cannot be enhanced. Picture: Dan Linehan

The development of more houses and industry on Cork’s Beara Peninsula is being stalled because no further public drinking water can be extracted from a "primary source" lake due to the presence of the EU-protected freshwater pearl mussel in its feeder river.

Just days after it was revealed little can be done by the county council to prevent flooding of a main road in Dunmanway because of the need to protect the endangered creature in nearby rivers, a similar and even bigger issue has developed on the West Cork peninsula.