Two members of the European Parliament from the North-West Midlands Constituency have contacted the EU Environment Commission in Brussels today over what they say is a ‘farcical situation’ involving the Lough Talt Water Supply Scheme in West Sligo.
It follows a statement from Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice this morning claiming that EU and government red tape is preventing Irish Water from carrying out improvements to the scheme that serves 10,000 people.
He says the lake is now a special area of conservation because of a species of snail that lives on the foreshore.
But he adds that efforts by Irish Water to build a new treatment plant has been refused by Sligo County Council and An Bord Pleanala.
Now, MEPs Marian Harkin and Luke Ming Flanagan say they have been in contact with the Environment Commission in Brussels about the situation.
They say there is now the farcical situation where the country could be fined for having cancer-causing substances in water while at the same time there is another EU law which prevents treatment of the same water.
