23 AUGUST 2018

ICSA rural development chairman Seamus Sherlock last night reiterated the association’s position that it will support all landowners affected by the proposed Shannon to Dublin water pipeline. Mr Sherlock was a speaking at a public meeting on the issue held in Nenagh last night.

Speaking following the meeting Mr Sherlock said, “As was evidenced tonight, there is a lot of disquiet among farmers in this region about the proposed water pipe; It is quite clear the whole logic of the project needs to be critically evaluated by the political process before any public money is committed.”

“We will never have clarity around future water requirements until the myriad of problems in Dublin are fixed. Irish Water currently loses 49% of its own product through leaks. It makes absolutely no sense to pipe water half way across the country for it to leak back into the groundwater through faulty pipes and for it all to cost the princely sum of several billion euros.”

“Farmers are sick with worry about the potential impact of a pipeline being forced through their farms with the potential for extreme short term disruption and long term devaluing of the land. While we are not against progress we are against waste and the case for this pipeline seems very dubious given all the evidence that they need to fix leakage levels in Dublin, which are scandalously high by international standards. This has to be a priority before any money is wasted in pumping more water to a chronically leaky system.”

“I would also like to make quite clear that this is not just an issue affecting farmers, the whole community is affected and are abjectly opposed to wasting vast sums of money on this. ”

ENDS