A Kerry TD has hit out at Uisce Éireann over a fee costing almost €4,000 fee which residents have to pay to connect to the Kilcummin Sewerage Scheme.
Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae raised the issue in the Dáil and was critical of the charge.
Works on the long-awaited Kilcummin scheme started in August last year.
The majority of the works are expected to be completed by the end of this year, with the project fully completed in early 2024.
Deputy Danny Healy-Rae says the full potential of this scheme won’t be realised if the all residents in Kilcummin don’t connect to it.
Deputy Healy-Rae says such connections used to be placed at the roadside boundaries free-of-charge, to entice people to connect.
He says the connections should be laid out now, while works are already ongoing and appealed for the Government to help with funding this connection fee.
The national utility says this project will reduce the reliance of on-site treatment systems such as septic tanks and package treatment plants.
It adds that the scope of the Kilcummin Sewerage Scheme included installation of a sewer network and construction of a pumping station; it didn’t include the provision of wastewater connections to residents in the area along the route of the wastewater network.
Uisce Éireann says there were public consultation meetings where the scope of the project was clearly communicated and connection application forms were physically distributed to all properties along the pipeline route that could easily connect.
The utility says under the water charges plan approved by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities there are no exemptions for connection charges and Uisce Éireann has no discretion when it comes to such charges.
