*Carrigaholt was the subject of debate at this month’s meeting of the West Clare MD.
EFFORTS to get toilet facilities in Carrigaholt are proving to be no quick flush.
Carrigaholt is among the 52 towns and villages in the county without adequate wastewater infrastructure which will mean in the upcoming County Development Plan that lands could be dezoned, massively hindering the potential of future developments.
Citing the popularity of The Wild Atlantic Way particularly “the thousands of visitors that frequent the village of Carrigaholt during the summer season,” Cllr Gabriel Keating appealed to Clare County Council to equip the South-West Clare village with toilet facilities “similar to those provided in Doolin car park”.
Challenges exist in replicating the Doolin facilities in Carrigaholt, senior executive engineer in the West Clare Municipal District, Alan Kennelly outlined. “While Carrigaholt may not have the visitor numbers of Doolin, the village is becoming increasingly popular with tourists, helped by its location on the Wild Atlantic Way and its Green Coast beach,” he acknowledged. An initial assessment on the type of toilet and possible locations could occur, he said.
Cost, consents, maintenance and absence of wastewater infrastructure were flagged by Kennelly as difficulties. No funding scheme exists to build such facilities, he said while noting Carrigaholt was adjacent to both a special area of conservation and a special protection area which would require a part 8 planning permission and environmental consent.
Due to the lack of sewage collection and treatment infrastructure, he explained, “either a large irrigation area, a chemical toilet or a large holding tank will be required. These options may not be suitable or environmentally desirable in Carrigaholt”. Kennelly added, “If permanent toilets are built, or temporary ‘portaloos’ placed, in Carrigaholt resources will be required to ensure that they are cleaned and serviced to the required standard”.
Speaking at the September meeting of the West Clare MD, Cllr Keating commented, “We’ve some good news since, we have been in a position to identify a plot of land for a wastewater treatment plant and we have the funding to pay for it, we have the support and signatures of the community, we’re ticking all the boxes”.
Portable toilets were an “ideal” temporary solution according to the Cross native. He believed the absence of a site dedicated to campervans was also impacting on the area, “there was 27 there one morning on the green which is owned by the Council, a proper site could include campervans”.
“If promises were any good, there would be a wastewater treatment plant already in Carrigaholt, several Ministers have said announcements were around the corner and that never happened,” Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) observed. Cllr Keating pointed to a change of Government at the time for impacting on this, “when that happens the policy changes”.
Current policies left Cllr Kelly very fearful for the future of rural West Clare, “In the context of the County Development Plan and everything else, it is a programme of planned obsolescence, these areas will not be there in 20 years”. Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) added, Killeen “without a wastewater scheme within an area the amount of land zoned is miniscule”.
Both Doolin and Carrigaholt are strong contenders to form part of Clare County Council’s application for inclusion in the €50m pilot scheme by the Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government, Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) felt.
Seconder of the motion, Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) called for another behind closed doors briefing to advise councillors on the steps to be followed, “if we’re informed we can help the communities”.
Cathaoirleach of the West Clare MD, Cllr Shane Talty (FF) remarked that “jockeying and horse trading” has all that has been visible over the past twelve months in efforts to progress wastewater schemes for parts of the county. “We’ve made our pitch and we’ve had the officials out, they were very impressed with what we had to offer,” Cllr Keating concluded.
