'It’s a scandalous situation:' Anger at Uisce Éireann’s alleged delaying tactics in West Cork

Public meeting heard urgent wastewater treatment projects would take years to complete due to red tape and bureaucracy

Warren Beach in Rosscarbery was forced to close during the peak tourist due to increased E coli levels. Picture: Andy Gibson

Uisce Éireann and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have been accused of deliberately delaying progress on a number of water treatment projects in West Cork because funding is not available to progress them.

At a packed public meeting convened by the Rosscarbery Water Action Group at the Celtic Ross Hotel, attendees heard urgently needed wastewater treatment projects in Rosscarbery, Dunmanway, Shannonvale and Goleen would take years to complete due to red tape and bureaucracy.

Fianna Fáil TD Christopher O’Sullivan said if the Rosscarbery treatment plant was not included in the next funding round in 2025, it would have to wait until 2030 before it is even considered for capital funding. Rosscarbery’s Warren Beach and nearby Owenahincha Beach were both forced to close during the peak tourist season due to high E coli readings.

The big challenge is getting Uisce Éireann to acknowledge they are responsible. People are bathing next to excrement, people have seen sewage coming out of the treatment plant, we don’t need marine modelling to know what’s gong on. 

"They will need a foreshore licence for that and it will take years,” he said.

'Red flags at the Warren are a complete disaster. When the beaches are closed we are also seeing a deluge of people coming to swim at Long Strand as well. Long Strand is a no-swim beach, it’s lethal and what’s happening is really dangerous.' Picture: Denis Minihane

Peter Shanahan, who runs the popular Fish Basket restaurant on Long Strand, said the ongoing problems with water quality were having a major impact on tourism in the area: “Red flags at the Warren are a complete disaster. When the beaches are closed we are also seeing a deluge of people coming to swim at Long Strand as well. Long Strand is a no-swim beach, it’s lethal and what’s happening is really dangerous.”

Independent Ireland TD Michael Collins said there was a lack of accountability on the part of the minister for the environment: “The EPA are not holding the minister and Uisce Éireann accountable. They will not answer straight questions because they are covering up for Uisce Éireann. It’s a scandalous situation.”

Fine Gael senator Tim Lombard told the meeting it could take a decade or more for the Rosscarbery plant to be upgraded. 

This is going to be a significant issue and the EPA have a really important role here. The local authority has effectively been investigating itself while we have a septic tank that’s putting effluent into the sea. 

"The best way forward in my view would be using Section 63 of the Water Services Act. It has been done in Louth, there are other options,” he said. 

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Uisce Éireann has consistently denied red flag notices at Rosscarbery were the result of failures at the local treatment plant. 

It said: “An impact assessment under the South Cork Regional Marine Modelling study for Rosscarberry — Owenahincha is at the Phase 1 Environmental Scoping Report (ESR) stage, following which Phases 2-4 will be carried out. This is the first step on a capital project process with the outputs used to inform and assess needs and future investment requirements.” 

Paul Melody, operator of the Lagoon Activity Centre in Rosscarbery and committee member of the Rosscarbery Water Action Group, saidofficials from Uisce Éireann had agreed to meet members of the group at the end of September to discuss the issue.