Calls for rural housing to be exempt from water connection costs
Clarification is being sought from Uisce Éireann following a recent government announcement that one-off homes in rural Ireland will be exempt from costly county council development levy fees and Irish Water connection charges until the end of 2025.
The initiative looks to incentivise increased housing delivery and applies to all permitted residential development that commences on site between April 25, 2023 (the date of the Government decision approving the measure) and April 21, 2024, for projects completed not later than December 31, 2025.
The arrangements cannot be applied retrospectively in respect of housing projects that had already commenced on site prior to April 25 last.
Speaking at the October meeting of Cavan County Council, Fianna Fáil's Clifford Kelly said that the additional costs were “affecting one off housing”.
He also tabled a motion asking that the local authority writes to the Minister expressing disappointment that Group Water Schemes (GWS) have been excluded from the water connection waiver scheme.
There are over 200 GWS operating in Ireland and Cllr Kelly said it was “only right and fair” that new homes connecting to such schemes also benefit from the waiver.
The Connection Charging Policy implemented in 2019 can seen owners of a single domestic unit hit with a connection charge of €2,272 for water and €3,929 wastewater (connection infrastructure up to 10 metres).
His motion seeking clarity was seconded by Sinn Féin's Paddy McDonald and supported by Aontú's Sarah O'Reilly.
His second motion regarding GWS was seconded by Fine Gael's Winston Bennett who said it was “totally unfair for one section of the county to get funding for connections and the other can't”.
There was support too from Independent Shane P. O'Reilly and Fianna Fáil's John Paul Feeley, the latter of whom disagreed with money having to be paid over.
“There should be a waiver,” he stated.
Cllrs Áine Smith (FF), Patricia Walsh (FF) and Fine Gael's TP O'Reilly joined the debate.
Cllr T.P. O'Reilly said that the country is in a housing crisis and, to promote new builds, there needs to be “less red tape”.
Cllrs were told that, in order to affect the issue, a change was required to regulations governing GWS's nationally.
Mullagh foul line
A motion by Cllr S.P. O'Reilly (Ind) meanwhile raised an issue in his own home area, and he asked that the council “request urgent funding” from Uisce Éireann to re-route the main foul line on the R178 outside of Mullagh “due to constant issues with overflow in the interests of public health”.
Cllr O'Reilly lamented how the main sewer line on the Moynalty Road passed under the carpark of the Mullagh Community Sports Centre before connecting to the Mullagh Water Water Treatment Plant.
It was, said Cllr O'Reilly, a “historical problem” which of late had resulted in the “catastrophic” appearance of “faeces and urine” and also women's sanitary products emanating from the drain during heavy rain.
The local councillor was asking for the pipe to be relocated outside of the carpark.
His motion was seconded by Cllr T.P. O'Reilly (FG).
A spokesperson for the executive of Cavan County Council informed the councillors that Uisce Éireann had investigated the line using cameras. The local authority is awaiting a further update.
“The situation is at crisis point,” fumed Cllr S.P. O'Reilly. “It's disgraceful.”