The failure of Ross beach in Killala to meet the required EU bathing water standards comes as no surprise according to Fine Gael councillor Jarlath Munnelly who said it was a direct result of the failure to provide a sewage treatment in the town. Apart from Ross beach in Killala, there was good news for the vast majority of the beaches in Mayo which were included in the report. There were 15 Mayo beaches in the county tested, with Ross beach being the only one to come in with a poor result. Old Head in Louisburgh had a sufficient water quality status, while the 13 others in many of the tourist hotspots in the county were all found to have a good standard of water quality.
Cllr Munnelly hit out at delays at a national level for blocking the progress of the much needed sewage treatment plant. He said the foreshore licence which had been applied for by Mayo County Council two years ago had been signed off by the Chief State Solicitor’s office, but the Department of Environment was holding up the issuing of the licence which he claimedwould cost the state money in the short to long term. “The Irish State will have to pay fines to the EU because we are breaching water standards,” he said. “That is a fact. We can either find money to build this treatment plant, or we can find the money to pay fines. The situation in Killala will cost this State money either way. It is past time that this sewage treatment plant was built.”
Apart from Ross beach in Killala, there was good news for the vast majority of the beaches in Mayo which were included in the report. There were 15 Mayo beaches in the county tested, with Ross beach being the only one to come in with a poor result. Old Head in Louisburgh had a sufficient water quality status, while the 13 others in many of the tourist hotspots in the county were all found to have a good standard of water quality.
