Uisce Éireann has been slow to progress the taking in charge of some estates, says council

At the latest Ballinamore municipal district meeting Cllr Enda McGloin asked about a workshop that was due to be held about the taking in charge of estates.

Vincent Dwyer, Head of Finance, said that the workshop will be held in January or February. 

Cllr McGloin continued: "As you know, we took that up with Irish Water at the last meeting - their slowness to collaborate with the council - and they rejected all charges that they were holding things back."

Mr Dwyer said there were issues arising on "an estate by estate basis because Uisce Éireann had been very slow to progress these; we've had different groups and teams within Uisce Éireann so you will find there are differing estates of different dynamics; some Uisce Éireann have been slow on and some they've progressed so it's probably not a generalisation."

Mr Dwyer said that the council have stepped in where, even though an estate hasn't been taken in charge, "where we can get consent of the landowner to give us access, in those circumstances we may be able to move forward some of them that have public lighting that is not lit, which is the main issue."

He stressed that there needs to be a more "seamless process whereby when we take an estate in charge, something similar happens with Uisce Éireann, but that debate is happening nationally."