An Bord Pleanála to review the Environmental Impact Assessment Screening for proposed Donegal sewerage scheme

A Donegal environmental group has described Irish Water’s explanation for the delay in building a controversial Wastewater Treatment Plant as “disingenuous.”

Speaking to Donegal Live, Irish Water said: “A judicial review has been sought regarding the land acquired for the Moville Wastewater Treatment Plant [in North Inishowen]. Unfortunately until this is concluded Irish Water cannot commit to an expected date for construction commencement.”

The Utility added: “Irish Water is committed to ending the unacceptable practice of discharging raw sewage into the Bredagh River and Lough Foyle.

“Over the last few years Irish Water has carried significant work in relation to the environmental studies and designs required to progress the project through the statutory planning process and onto tender and construction.”

Donegal Live has learned the Judicial Review in question was granted to businessman, John Gore on December 9, 2019 and was put down for mention again on March 24, 2020. Mr Gore has a home at Carnagarve in the seaside town.

Mr Gore owns ‘JGO’, the leading developer, producer, distributor, and marketer of Broadway theatre worldwide.

Inishowen environmental activist Enda Craig is a spokesperson for Community For a Clean Estuary, which has long opposed the proposed Moville Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Mr Craig told Donegal Live, the Irish Water explanation for the delay in building the Moville Wastewater Treatment Plant is “disingenuous.”

He said: “The delay is actually as a result of a case which is currently before An Bord Pleanála, not the Judicial Review.

“In the first ever case of its kind, Irish Water, has asked An Bord Pleanála for a Review of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Screening for the proposed Sewerage Scheme at Moville.

“Irish Water has applied to An Bord Pleanála for a section 176 sub-threshold development, under the EU's Environmental Impact Assessment Directive. Pre-Covid-19 the case was scheduled to have been decided by April 29, 2020.

 “The interesting thing about it is, if An Bord Pleanála, decides an EIA is required, it means Irish Water will have to scrap everything to do with their previous application and go right back to square one and start from the beginning regarding the Moville Wastewater Treatment Plant,” said Mr Craig.

According to Enda Craig, ‘screening’ is the initial stage in the EIA process.

 He added: “Screening determines whether or not specified public or private developments are likely to have significant effects on the environment and, as such, require an EIA to be carried out prior to a decision on a development consent application being made."  

 “It was the reason that the European Commission refused the wastewater Treatment Plant permission to progress back in 2013 as Irish Water and Donegal County Council had not carried out one in accordance with the requirements under EU legislation.

 “The current wastewater treatment plant proposal has been much reduced (only the town of Moville is included) and Irish Water has made an application to An Bord Pleanála to find out if the reduced plant needs a Screening Process as I am sure they do not want to fall foul a second time.

 “I have been in regular contact with ABP who stated this decision will take substantial and careful study as it is the first case of its kind to come under the amended legislation as a result of the outcome of our successful complaint to Brussels,” said Mr Craig.

Read the full story on the proposed Moville Wastewater Treatment Plant in Wednesday’s Inish Times.