Councillor Michael Holmes has strongly criticised the Minister for Agriculture for holding up work on the Belmullet Sewerage Scheme, and accused him of using delay tactics in order to avoid paying out. According to regulations, a foreshore licence must be obtained from the Department of Agriculture before work can commence on the project. However, Holmes stated that they are still awaiting the issue of this licence despite having applied for it almost a year and a half ago.
Holmes outlined the current status of the project: “The Department of the Environment holds the purse strings in relation to sewerage schemes in this country. However, they told us that before any funding could be allocated for the Belmullet town scheme we would need to get a foreshore licence from the Department of Agriculture. We are now waiting about a year and a half for that licence, and not a cent can be accessed until we get it.
“It is ironic that the current Government — of which the Green Party is a member — is happy for raw sewage to be pumped into the bay at Belmullet, even though there are regulations in place prohibiting untreated effluent going into the sea,” stated Holmes.
Holmes accused Minister Smith of using delay tactics. “He is bluffing the people of Belmullet, and has delayed issuing the licence in order to avoid paying out. In the meantime, development in the town is at a virtual standstill, and many planning applications are being rejected as a result.”
Holmes went on to outline the urgent need for a sewerage scheme in the town. “Belmullet has really come on in the last few years. It has lovely hotels, a world-class golf course and a new, state of the art leisure centre. However, the lack of a proper sewerage scheme is damaging the tourism industry in the town.”
Holmes stated that he would be lobbying the Government to ensure that funding is made available to start work on the scheme as soon as possible.
