Uisce Éireann paperwork should not be holding back developments - Donegal MD 

The fear that Uisce Éireann will end up having to sign off and have the final say on many of the housing developments within the county was raised at the July meeting of the Donegal Municipal District.

Cllr Micheál Naughton (FF) raised the issue after he learned that a completed housing development in Donegal Town comprising  houses and completed, could not be occupied because of residual paperwork that was required by Donegal County Council and needed to be signed off by Uisce Éireann. 

Cllr Naughton told donegallive.ie: “We have 16 houses finished in Donegal Town since the first of April. And basically, but for a bit of paperwork that has to be done on the Irish Water side (now Uisce Éireann) we are holding back 16 families from getting into a home.

“This money is basically paid up front to Irish Water, it is signed off by the Irish water engineer, yet these houses cannot be released.

“What they are saying is that they (the developers) have to put in for a new application which will now hold up the process for another four to six months. You are now talking about Christmas or even after that before occupation. 

“When they (the developers) applied to Irish Water for a connection, they were given up to the end of February to have it completed. He had not completed it until the end of March, the first of April and therefore ran a month overtime.

“So the money was paid upfront to Irish Water for the connections, the Irish Water engineer has signed off and said everything is perfect, but because it was not initially finished within the original timeframe, he (the developer) has to put in for a new application. This is unacceptable because this is going to lead to many more months before these people can get into their homes.

“The other big thing about this, is that this is a developer. He has another site, ready to go on but he is waiting on money from Donegal County Council, because they can't pass it because they haven’t got the certificate from Irish Water. This is bureaucracy gone mad 

“We don’t seem to have a contact within Donegal County Council and that can pick up a phone to somebody within Irish Water and say, can you just tick this and get it (the paperwork) sorted out.

“We know how important the provision of housing is at present and if this is what is going to continue happening, we are simply not going to be able to get the houses built.”

He also stated that there were other issues with Irish Water for young people that wanted to get their first homes because of the “300 metre rule” which means that anyone building a house or needing a connection more than 300 metres from a mains supply of water, will not be given a quotation for such work, as the price would be exorbitant “but something has to change”. 

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“This has to be a developer led programme, yet come September 13, Uisce Éireann as it is now known take over the water section of Donegal County Council and that is why I have requested a special meeting with the five area managers of the county with Irish Water, These are the people on the ground that have the knowledge and can see where the loopholes are on the ground, what needs to be fixed and what needs to be done. These questions need to be asked before September 13. Otherwise you will have Uisce Éireann dictating where people can build.”