18 Iúil 2011, 15:17
18 July 2011 The plans for a €540 million eco water park and reservoir on the site of a 500 acre bog in Co Offaly will be considered with the Chief Executive of Born na Móna at tomorrow’s (19th) meeting of the Oireachtas Environment, Transport, Culture and Gaeltacht committee.
The meeting will take place in Committee Room 3 of Leinster House at 2:30 pm.
Under the plans, put forward by Dublin City Council, the reservoir would supply 350 million litres of water a day to the Dublin region and serve the capital’s drinking water needs for 70 years. The project would also create a water based eco-park with fishing, boating, cycling water and leisure sports in the midlands. It is envisaged that 1,000 construction jobs would be created alongside a number of long term tourism and recreation jobs in the midlands.
Bord na Móna who own bog, have expressed their commitment to support the project. Its chief executive, Gabriel Darcy will attend tomorrow’s meeting to consider this and other matters relating to the operation of the organisation.
Committee Chairman, Ciaran Lynch TD said;
“The plans outlined for a reservoir and eco park in the midlands will mean a massive outlay by the exchequer. Therefore, the Committee is anxious to get a proper idea on whether this project represents good value for money for the taxpayer and if it is viable from a practical perspective. We are also keen to assess the project from an environmental perspective to see whether it is sustainable.
To achieve this, the Committee will meet with the Bord Na Móna CEO tomorrow to consider the plan in further detail before visiting the proposed locations in Laois and Offaly on Wednesday.”
ENDS
Daniel English
Oireachtas Communications Office
01 618 4484
087 6949926
Committee Membership
Deputies:
James Bannon, Fine Gael
Paudie Coffey, Fine Gael
Terence Flanagan, Fine Gael
Noel Coonan, Fine Gael
Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, Fine Gael
Tony McLoughlin, Fine Gael
Patrick O’Donovan, Fine Gael
Brian Walsh, Fine Gael
Kevin Humphreys, Labour Party
Gerald Nash, Labour Party
Seán Kenny, Labour Party
Ciarán Lynch, Labour Party
Robert Troy, Fianna Fáil
Timmy Dooley, Fianna Fáil
Niall Collins, Fianna Fáil
Sandra McLellan, Sinn Féin
Dessie Ellis, Sinn Féin
Brian Stanley, Sinn Féin
Clare Daly, Socialist Party
Catherine Murphy, Independent
Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Independent
Senators:
Cáit Keane, Fine Gael
Catherine Noone, Fine Gael
Labhrás Ó’Murchú, Fianna Fáil
Ned O’Sullivan, Fianna Fáil
Eamon Coghlan, Independent