Latest news with #UisceÉireann
RTÉ News
8 hours ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
Why new homes may not get planning in Dublin after 2028
"The chain is only as strong as its weakest link." Eighteenth century philosopher Thomas Reid's quote could be applied to building houses in Dublin. That weak link is water. Local authorities in the capital will be unable to grant planning for new homes from 2028 onwards unless Uisce Éireann, formerly Irish Water, gets the green light for a massive new drainage scheme. For a city facing an acute housing crisis, that would be catastrophic. The Ringsend treatment plant in Dublin's south inner city is currently approaching maximum capacity. Other facilities are near or above their limits. If Dublin continues to build homes without additional wastewater capacity it risks polluting the sea around the capital, putting Ireland in breach of EU water standards affecting users of amenities such as beaches and swimming areas. If there is not sufficient water treatment, councils may have to turn down planning applications. Uisce Éireann's plan is called the Greater Dublin Drainage scheme. It would provide water treatment for half a million people in the capital and in parts of Meath and Kildare. It includes a 14km orbital sewer from Abbotstown which would connect a treatment plant in Clonsagh with an 11km outfall pipe running far out to sea north of Howth. But the project has been tied up in the planning process for seven years at a time when the housing crisis has worsened. A planning application was originally lodged for the scheme in 2018, it was subject to a judicial challenge in 2020, and due to one legal defect went back to An Coimisiún Pleanála in 2021. Uisce Éireann submitted further information last year and is still waiting for approval. This lengthy process was triggered by an appeal by one sea swimmer. The seven-year delay has seen costs for the project rise from €600m to €1.3bn. Even if the planning board gives permission for the drainage scheme, it could still be delayed again by another judicial review. If that happens, local authorities are unlikely to be able to give planning approval for new homes in many parts of north Dublin. This is an area where there are plans for significant numbers of new housing projects. Undoubtedly wastewater is the most acute issue facing Uisce Éireann. But the provision of water itself is a huge challenge too. Currently the River Liffey supplies 85% of the requirements for 1.7m people, and that is not viewed as sustainable. Uisce Éireann says the impact of climate change is already evident, and it will worsen. It says: "Extreme weather in the form of both droughts and intense rainfall will affect both the availability and quality of water." There are serious concerns about supplies for the capital and the midlands with residents in Mullingar already living with restrictions. The current sustainable production of water in the Greater Dublin Area is 620 million litres daily. In the week up to Sunday 22 June this year, the average usage was 635 million litres with storage in treated water reservoirs also used to meet demand. Supplies are very tight and there is little headroom for more housing with the population expected to grow by 25% by 2040. Uisce Éireann's plan is to use 2% of the water flowing from the River Shannon and pipe it to Dublin. It would be sourced from the Parteen Basin in Lough Derg which lies between Co Clare and Co Tipperary. Parteen is a reservoir which holds water used at the Ardnacrusha hydroelectric plant. The water would be treated nearby at Birdhill, Co Tipperary and transferred by gravity to a reservoir in south Dublin via a buried pipeline. This is not a new plan. The current iteration dates back to 1996. It has been agreed by the Government, and Uisce Éireann expects to submit a planning application at the end of this year. But there are objections to its environmental impact. The schemes to address water supplies and drainage to keep up with the demands for housing will require more money. Some €10.3bn has been allocated to Uisce Éireann for capital projects between now and 2029. The organisation says it requires a further €2bn. Next month the National Development Plan will be published by the Government and it is likely to address funding for Uisce Éireann. But even if the money is allocated, the organisation has a steep hill to climb if it is to make sufficient progress to meet growing requirements for more homes.
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
‘Rural champion' elected to lead Tipperary County Council for coming year
At the Annual General Meeting of Tipperary County Council, Fianna Fáil councillor John Carroll was elected Cathaoirleach of the county council for the coming year, taking over from Fine Gael councillor Declan Burgess. Proposed by councillor Michael Smith and seconded by councillor Sean Ryan, Mr Carroll was described as a champion of rural Ireland. In proposing Cllr Carroll, Michael Smith said that the incoming council chair has plenty of experience which will serve him well in leading the county for the next year. "He has proven to be a rural champion in relation to his involvement in the LCDC (Local Community Development Committee), in the North Tipperary LEADER programme, and while there was so many challenges throughout that time, he was there to the fore as chairperson and he led from the front,' Cllr Smith said. "I have no doubt that with those great leadership skills that he showed in that forum, that he would make an excellent chairperson,' Cllr Smith added. First elected in 1999, Cllr Carroll previously served as Cathaoirleach of North Tipperary County Council in 2006 before north and south Tipperary County Councils were amalgamated in 2014. Speaking to the Irish Independent after his election, Cllr Carroll said that his priorities for the year will be agribusiness, roads funding and the delivery of homes for young people across the county. "The content of council business and meetings has changed considerably [since 2006], there are key challenges today and there's a lot of benefits,' he said. "I was focusing in on the agricultural economy in terms of the climate, the Government can't say one thing and not fund it, we were talking about the ACRES scheme – that's the environmental scheme to improve biodiversity – and they're over a year behind in payments to farmers, that's not a way to win co-operation, and the farmers are really up for it,' Cllr Carroll said. Also among the incoming Cathaoirleach's priorities for the coming year is encouraging Uisce Éireann to develop more water infrastructure across the county to support home building. ADVERTISEMENT "Uisce Éireann providing waste water treatment plants for the towns and villages to sustain a young population that they have housing, so that they don't have to emigrate. We're a large county, when you have a good agricultural and vibrant economy that impacts positively and the same as sustainability of the towns and villages,' he added. Carrick-on-Suir councillor Mark Fitzgerald was elected as Leas-Cathaoirleach for the coming year, having been proposed by Fine Gael colleague Marie Murphy and seconded by outgoing Cathaoirleach Declan Burgess.
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Climate
- Irish Independent
Water supply returned to major Tipperary town after burst pipe forced businesses to close
Coimisiún na Meán Today at 10:24 Water supplies are returning in parts of a major Tipperary town which were without water for the morning (Thursday, June 26) after a burst water main in the town. Residents and businesses in Tipperary town were without water after a burst water main in the Pearse Park area of the town. It is not clear how many Uisce Éireann customers were impacted by the outage. Uisce Éireann confirmed that repairs to the water main may cause supply disruption across the town throughout the day. It is expected that works will be complete by 2pm this afternoon, Uisce Éireann have said. "We recommend that you allow 3-4 hours after the estimated restoration time for your supply to fully return,' the utility added. It is understood that the town's Community Services Centre has had to close its doors today as a result of the outage, however the Meals on Wheels service will still continue to operate. Citizen's Information and the INTREO office, which are based at the Community Services Centre, will remain closed today because of the lack of water. Local café The Gable Coffee Bar had also been forced to stop serving coffee due to the water outage, but remained open for sweet treats and snacks. They have since restarted serving coffee since the water has come back on.
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Irish Examiner view: Satire dead as Trump makes peace
The ceasefire between Israel and Iran appears to be holding at the time of writing, though the swiftness of unfolding events in the Middle East has often made a mockery of presumption in the past. The two nations' exchange of missiles was a worrying escalation in a region not short of hair-trigger tempers, so we should not belittle anyone who is seeking to calm the situation. The performance of US president Donald Trump in these circumstances, however, bears closer inspection. Many readers will be familiar by now with the clip of Mr Trump using bad language in describing Israel and Iran; it is a soundbite that will probably play well with his base, and he may plausibly justify his choice of words while portraying himself as a peacemaker. That was surely part of the motivation for his outspokenness, particularly as it came before his trip to the annual meeting of Nato this week in Holland. Depicting himself as a peace broker would surely have bolstered Mr Trump's authority with his Nato allies, particularly as he is keen to get those allies contributing more to Nato's running costs. That authority was undermined by American intelligence reports suggesting the recent US missile attack on Iran did not obliterate that country's nuclear capability, as claimed, but merely set it back by a few months (reports Mr Trump immediately contradicted). It may not be coincidental that this week, Nato countries have accepted the need to contribute more revenue — but some at least have avoided being bound to Mr Trump's spending targets. This last development may have real-world implications in the future, but for now we are still processing extraordinary scenes: The US president cursing about other countries on air, and rubbishing his own intelligence services' findings, would have fuelled a month's worth of headlines at any other time. This week those stories were outdone by a US politician nominating Mr Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize because of the Iran-Israel ceasefire. When Henry Kissinger was nominated for that award, comedian Tom Lehrer declared satire dead. This week we learned that it is not dead but decomposing. Concrete supply: Infrastructure woes continue It is widely accepted that one of the great challenges of modern Irish life is the pressure on our national infrastructure. Energy is an obvious concern, not just because of our fragile energy security due to our location, but also due to the vast amounts of electricity consumed by data centres. Water supply is another ongoing headache, not least because of the various travails of Uisce Éireann ever since that body was founded. Now, we have learned that another key element in creating and maintaining large-scale infrastructure is in trouble. Engineering consultancy firm RPS carried out a study for the Irish Concrete Federation, which found replenishment rates of quarries are inadequate — currently they are running at 61% of the annual consumption. The study also found that planning permission was refused for over half of the volume of proposed extraction of sand, stone, and gravel in greater Dublin between 2017 and last year — while there have also been delays in obtaining planning permission to extend quarries or get permission for new sites. One does not need to be a civil engineer to realise that if supplies of sand, stone, and gravel dwindle, then there are obvious implications for our building capacity. It is notable that the lack of planning permissions is a key issue here, thus echoing the comments of the ESRI's Seán O'Driscoll in these pages recently. He pointed out then that the Government needed to accept that there was a 'national crisis in Irish infrastructure' if progress was to be achieved, and this study adds weight to that claim. Unfortunately, the response from the current administration does not seem to acknowledge that crisis. The Government will engage with the concrete industry about their concerns, according to housing minister James Browne, but he added that the independent planning system also has to take its 'natural course'. The various shambles we have witnessed in our planning system over the years do not depict that 'natural course' in a flattering light. The 'business as usual' approach on show here is the last response needed for a national crisis. Glastonbury festival: Kneecap drama The Glastonbury festival opened yesterday, with thousands of fans pouring into the venue to see their favourite musicians. This year there is an edge of controversy in the presence of Belfast band Kneecap; band member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh faces a terrorism charge for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag at a London show last year. British prime minister Keir Starmer said this week that it is not 'appropriate' for the band to perform at Glastonbury, while Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has said the BBC — which normally broadcasts many of the acts at the festival — should not show Kneecap's performance. Belfast band Kneecap. It was not clear at press time whether the BBC would show the Belfast band or wait until nearer the time to make a decision — Kneecap are due to play on Saturday. It is not for us to wonder that an experienced lawyer such as Mr Starmer should be expressing opinions which might be prejudicial to Mr Ó hAnnaidh's case. But we are hardly the only people who feel that British politicians surely have better things to do than complain about Kneecap. Read More Irish Examiner view: Cork crime series reveals a city divided by neglect of the northside
BreakingNews.ie
3 days ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Councillors' job is to build houses and not object to them
The Tánaiste has taken a swipe at county councillors, saying they 'need to realise' their job is to build houses, and not object to them. Simon Harris also said every part of the State needs to treat the housing crisis as an emergency, including the chief executives of Uisce Éireann and ESB. Advertisement Mr Harris made the comments as he and the Minister for Housing James Browne visited the site of new cost rental apartments in Tallaght, Dublin. The Department of Housing said it is the first local authority funded, standalone, cost rental development in Ireland. Tánaiste Simon Harris said every part of the state needs to treat the housing crisis as an emergency, including the chief executives of Uisce Éireann and ESB (Liam McBurney/PA) Both ministers said that 'key' to eliminating homelessness is supply of housing. 'Supply of a whole variety of homes, including social homes,' Mr Harris added. Advertisement 'I know one of the issues that the minister (for housing) is working on, and that we fully support across government, is making it even easier for local authorities to go through the approval process for new social homes more quickly, and looking at how we can improve a standardisation in terms of how we develop social homes so they can be delivered more quickly. 'We're in the early stages of this new government. 'That's why we're making big and bold decisions, including decisions that will be unpopular and difficult at times in relation to housing, including decisions that, quite rightly, people will be able to parse and analyse and critique, if they look at each decision individually. 'But actually, as the Minister (Browne) has rightly said, it is about putting together pieces of the jigsaw that will get us to those 300,000 incomes. Advertisement 'I don't in any way anyway underestimate the scale of the housing crisis. It is a housing emergency. 'It's very real and acute emergency for people, particularly families and challenge in relation to housing today, and that's why we need to break down every silo that exists in the state. 'Housing can't just be an emergency for the Minister for Housing, the Department of Housing, or people in need of housing, it has to be an emergency every part of the state. 'It has to be an emergency for the CEO Uisce Eireann, the CEO of the ESB, every chief executive of every local authority, every county councillor who needs to realise their job is not to object to houses, but build houses. Advertisement 'This is where we've got to get to break down the silos.' Last week, emergency legislation that saw rent pressure zones extended nationwide was signed into law. The system, which caps rent increases at the rate of inflation or 2 per cent, whichever is lower, have also been extended until the end of February after originally being due to expire at the end of the year. Mr Browne said more time is needed to assess the impact of the changes in law. Advertisement He said that landlords have been leaving the system in 'substantial numbers' for years because of the previous laws around Rent Pressure Zones. 'We wanted to bring in stronger tenants' rights, that's really important,' Mr Browne added. 'And also be able to activate supply because of when it comes to the prices of homes, the only way we're going to get the prices to stabilise is through the increase of supply. 'That increase of supply will bring down rents, will increase the supply of homes to stabilise those and help eliminate homelessness as well. 'It is all about supply, supply, supply, supply, and that's what we're all aiming at towards now while protecting our renters and ensuring people can live in their local communities.' He said that around 40 per cent of people going into homelessness is a result of notice to quit in tenancies. He claimed the new legislation will bring in security of tenure. 'We know internationally, where you have higher homelessness, it is where you also have higher rents,' he added. 'By getting that supply up, you get rents down, and we'll also help to get homelessness down, but also the measures we've made around Rent Pressure Zones, around security of tenure, will help prevent people going into homelessness as well. 'With this legislation in that we have security of tenure. 'We also have a large population moving from Ipas centres, who have had their situation regulated, but don't have somewhere to live, coming into our homeless situation as well. 'I'm very conscious that well over 70 per cent of everybody who's homeless is also in Dublin. 'So there was a lot of moving parts in terms of the homeless situation. 'We're trying to address them all. 'But for those coming into homelessness to prevent them, we have record prevention as well, with people going into homelessness and getting people exited out as quickly as possible.'
