'Sword of Damocles' hangs over North Cork village

Villages under threat because of a lack of critical water infrastructure, councillors claim

 Kiskeam has reinivented itself as a remote work hub in recent years, but the sewerage situation could stifle its hard-earned growth, Cork County Council heard. Picture: Dan Linehan

A North Cork village could die for the lack of just €600,000 from Uisce Éireann, with the critical infrastructure deficit hanging over the village of Kiskeam like ‘The Sword of Damocles.’ 

Standing orders were suspended at Cork County Council to discuss the situation in Kiskeam,with claims the recent vibrancy of the village is under severe threat over “small beer money” that would extend its sewerage system.

Meanwhile, in Carrignavar on the outskirts of Cork, in the middle of a housing crisis, it has been claimed that no new homes have been built in its core for 18 years due to the lack of a proper sewerage treatment plant.

Fianna Fáil councillor Bernard Moynihan said Kiskeam has reinivented itself as a remote work hub in recent years, but the water situation could stifle its hard-earned growth.

“Last week, two planning applications were turned down because of this and more will happen. This is going to sterilise the village. It only needs an additional tank to be dug into the ground. This is an incredibly serious issue,” he said.

Mr Moynihan outlined how the village had reinvented itself in recent years. He said one man working there is designing a plant for Pfizer in Switzerland.

However, he said the lack of infrastructure means no new blood will be able to move in, and this will impact numbers in the school and sporting clubs.

He asked senior council officials to meet with Uisce Éireann and lobby intensively for the infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil councillor Sheila O’Callaghan raised the situation in Carrignavar, saying not upgrading its sewerage system has seriously impacted housing in its village core.

She said instead of just stagnating, it has actually lost households in recent years, despite having two schools and an outdoor heated swimming pool which opens for eight weeks in summer.

Uisce Éireann has Carrignavar on a list of areas nationally needing small projects. It said there is no provision to upgrade or expand the Kiskeam wastewater treatment plant within the 2025–2029 capital investment cycle, but that this will be reviewed during future planning.