Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 February 2005
172 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources when a foreshore licence regarding the proposed new sewerage system at Cheekpoint, County Waterford, will be granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5591/05]
View answerSubsequent to making an application to the Department for a foreshore licence for the Cheekpoint waste water treatment plant, Waterford County Council discovered that, due to increasing siltation problems, the storm water overflow pipe would not have worked effectively at the location originally proposed for it. Consequently, the local authority put revised proposals, involving relocation of the overflow pipe, to the Department.
The revised proposals were put to public consultation in December last. The submissions received, together with the county council's responses to them, received by the Department on 19 January, have been examined by the Department's engineering division. The matter will now be put before the next meeting of the marine licence vetting committee, an expert group that advises me on proposals of this nature. I understand the issues to be considered by the committee in this case will include possible impacts on fishing and fisheries as well as possible implications for the navigation channel for the port of Waterford. A decision on the county council's proposals will be made as soon as possible after the marine licence vetting committee has completed its consideration of the application.
