Fingal County Council has published its first Consultation Report on http://www.greaterdublindrainage.ie regarding the Greater Dublin Drainage initiative to identify a suitable location and route for vital new wastewater and drainage infrastructure in the northern part of the Greater Dublin Area.  The report is also available on display as follows:

  • Nine permanent County Libraries: Balbriggan, Baldoyle, Blanchardstown, Garristown, Howth, Malahide, Rush, Skerries, and Swords
  • Four mobile libraries
  • Two planning counters: County Hall, Swords and Blanchardstown Civic Offices

CDs of the report can be purchased for €5 and hard copies for €24 from the two planning counters.

The local authority carried out four weeks of non-statutory public consultation at the start of the project to ask people for their views on the issues and concerns that should be taken into account in determining the locations of a new wastewater treatment works, a new marine outfall, and new drainage pipe network.

The consultation ended on 24th June and included four Open Days held in Swords, Blanchardstown, and Balbriggan when members of the Project Team attended to meet people, listen to their views, and to confirm the need for the new wastewater infrastructure to facilitate future development in the area.  People could also write in to the Project Team, email, or phone with their views.

“Over 1,000 people made contact with the Project Team on a wide range of issues, including environmental impacts, the site selection process, and the need to consider the community’s concerns during the development of such crucial infrastructure as the Greater Dublin Drainage initiative,” says Peter O’Reilly, Project Engineer, Fingal County Council.  “The Project Team are reviewing all comments received and will take them into account in the next phase of the project, when a shortlist of potential sites and routes for the orbital sewer pipes will be identified.”

“Fingal County Council will continue to consult with all interested stakeholders and will carry out further non-statutory consultation this autumn, when the shortlisted sites and routes are known.  Each of the shortlisted sites and routes will be investigated further before a decision is made next year on the location and route that will form the basis of a planning application to An Bord Pleanála in approximately two years time.”

Information on the Greater Dublin Drainage initiative can be found on the project website www.greaterdublindrainage.ie or you can contact the information phone line on 1890 44 55 67.

To read the report click here

Note to Editors:

The Greater Dublin Strategic Drainage Study (GDSDS) and the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) carried out on the GDSDS by the local authorities in 2005 and 2008 identified the need for new drainage infrastructure as the current system is not adequate to cope with the demand. The lack of wastewater capacity in parts of the Greater Dublin Area is placing constraints on the implementation of existing accepted planned development, as set out in the respective City and County Development Plans.

The GDSDS and the SEA considered 16 different options and recommended that a new wastewater treatment works should be built at a suitable site in the northern part of the Greater Dublin Area with an outfall point on the Dublin coastline discharging in to the Irish Sea. A new orbital sewer is required to bring wastewater from the west of the GDA and to accommodate future development and new industries in areas around Blanchardstown, Lucan, Clondalkin, Mulhuddart, East Meath, and Kildare. A shortlist of sites will be compiled in the coming months before a preferred scheme and site are identified.

ENDS

For further information: Neasa Kane, 087.232.0038