Newport has been ‘used and abused’ by Uisce Éireann, local councillor claims
Cllr John O'Malley said Newport has been 'used and abused' by Uisce Eireann and Transport Infrastructure Ireland.
People in Newport are unable to develop their businesses or bring in new business due to the ongoing pollution of the sea waters around the town, a local councillor has stated.
Independent Cllr John O'Malley told last week's meeting of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District that the people of Newport are "just being dumped on over and over again by the powers-that-be".
Cllr O’Malley made the claims during a discussion on the shock announcement that the €5.5 million N59 road upgrade project had been shelved. He stated: "The people of Newport have suffered enough, and been thrown around like a rag dog, first of all by Irish Water (Uisce Éireann) and now Transport Infrastructure Ireland.
“Five years ago, they were told the money was already allocated for the Newport Sewerage Treatment Plant but not one thing has been done by Irish Water in the town, and since 1965, there is raw sewerage going out into the bay. Families and children cannot swim or have any fun in the bay, they have to drive 10 miles away. If it was a farmer that put one fraction of that sewerage into the bay they would be fined immediately and have their single farm payment taken off them.
“Business people will have to withhold their rates and local residents their local property tax to get the message across that they are not going to take this treatment again. People should sue Irish Water for not doing what they promised to do. The people of Newport have been dumped, they have been used and abused by both Irish Water and Transport Infrastructure Ireland.”
