By Michelle Crean

Some people won't have an opportunity to join the proposed Kilcummin Sewerage Scheme after three important legs were withdrawn - a local councillor claimed this week.

Cllr Marie Moloney said that she was left "dismayed and disappointed" following a virtual meeting with Irish Water on Wednesday saying that she was informed that Knockataggle, the Rathanane Roads and the GAA Club House, are not included in the new scheme, even though they were in the original proposals.

The scheme, by Irish Water who are working in partnership with Kerry County Council, will provide a new sewer collection system for Kilcummin village that will ensure wastewater from the village is treated appropriately. Over the coming months, Irish Water will progress land acquisition and procurement for the scheme. Works on the project are expected to commence late in 2022.

The new sewerage infrastructure to be constructed as part of this scheme will include a sewer network for Kilcummin village, a pumping station, and approximately six kilometres of sewers, and will reduce the reliance on on-site systems such as septic tanks and package treatment plants. Once operational, the new sewerage scheme will connect into the sewer network in Killarney town, where it will be collected and transferred to Killarney Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) for appropriate treatment.

"A public information night took place nearly two years ago outlining the areas where the sewer scheme was to be provided," Cllr Moloney said.

"We were told they didn’t have enough applications to warrant the scheme being provided for some of the areas on the outskirts of the village. Yet at the information night they didn’t tell the people that they had to make prior application before the scheme was actually confirmed. I know a lot of people on these roads are going to be disappointed and angry as they were intending to join the scheme when it was being installed. Now they won’t have an opportunity to do so."

She said that they were also advised that it would cost in the region of €150,000 for every 100m which will push this scheme outside of the reach of a lot of people.

"Along with that, we were told that the scheme would not proceed to construction until the end of 2022 after tendering and negotiations have taken place at a highly elevated price of over €9m. Unfortunately, it is hard to accept the word of Irish Water officials that this much needed scheme will proceed to construction on the dates they have given us as we have had so many dates previously and nothing happened. Irish Water is like the boy who cried wolf."

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae added it "is extremely disappointing for the people who were led to believe that they could connect to the public scheme". "We will now have to redouble our efforts to ensure it is carried out to include the original design and nothing else is acceptable for the people of Kilcummin."