| Pallaskenry Kildimo Water Retention Campaign |
 |
 |
 |
|
Pallaskenry/Kildimo Water Retention Campaign The Pallaskenry/Kildimo Water Retention Committee in County Limerick has been in dispute with Limerick County Council since 1994 in an attempt to retain their local spring water supply. Bleach Lough, with no history of pollution, has been supplying clean water to their area for generations and now supplies approx. 1200 homes. Limerick County Council wants to mix in heavily treated water from the river Deal, acknowledged by the Environmental Protection Agency as one of the most polluted rivers in Ireland, containing raw sewerage, dead animals, leach from LCC’s landfill sites and industrial pollution. Limerick County Council has ignored all requests on the part of the people to be allowed retain their current water supply.The story as experienced by the local community : · Very little information could be got from the county council despite numerous requests for information over the years. · The Public Consultation Process set up by the council did not meet the criteria for a democratic process. · Prior to the 2002 consultation process, 1000 households in the area lodged objections to any change in their water supply. · In 1997 the county councillors voted 19 to 3 in favour of the community to retain its water supply. · A mediation process set up by LCC was seen as purely an exercise in public relations, with facilitators appointed by the council themselves. · Heavy handed tactics have been used to try to connect the Deal water supply into the local system, including an attempt at 2am in the dead of night. The group has presented their case to the EU Petitions Committee in Brussels with no satisfaction. In February 2008 they got a Judicial Hearing in the High Court and despite damning evidence to support their case, did not succeed. The judge admitted he had no option but to find in favour of the County Council because of the draconian law that still existed under a 1942 act. This act has now been replaced by the 2007 act. The group were held liable for their costs. This long running campaign has taken a great toll on the people working for the local community. It has served to completely destroy any trust in the local authority.But the advice of group secretary, Dan Foley is to never give up; “ When right is on your side you must keep at it- some day right will win”
Contact with this group is through Pat Geoghegan of The Irish Environmental Forum |
