Contractors awaited for Ballina treatment plant

Contractors for the long-awaited upgraded wastewater treatment plant in Ballina are expected onsite later this year.

At last week's meeting of Tipperary Co Council, Cllr Phyll Bugler said progress with the project was "really slow". She expressed concerns that the existing over-burdened plant is polluting the Shannon.

Director of Services Eamon Lonergan said the Ballina project has gone through the tender process. He expected that contractors would be onsite this year.

A number of councillors were concerned that other long-awaited treatment plant upgrades would be left out following the recent national announcement of €50 million for villages and settlements that do not have access to public wastewater infrastructure. Cllr Ger Darcy wanted Irish Water to stick to the existing priority list, which includes Cloughjordan.

Senior Engineer Denis Holland said the Dept of Housing, Local Government and Heritage would host a workshop, after which eligibility for the new scheme would be decided on.