*Cllr Joe Cooney. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
FURTHER FALSE dawns regarding announcements for Broadford and Cooraclare’s potential inclusion in a €50m pilot wastewater scheme have been criticised.
Assurances had been issued to Clare TD, Cathal Crowe (FF) by officials in the Department of Housing that an announcement would be made by November 13th on whether Broadford and Cooraclare would be included in the scheme for essential sewage infrastructure for rural villages.
Criticism may be levelled at Deputy Crowe and fellow Government TD, Joe Carey (FG) for false dawns on this but Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) will be sweating on an announcement. In what appears to be a political stunt, he has said he will not be contesting the next General Election unless the applications receive immediate approval.
Responding to Clare TD, Michael McNamara (IND) in the Dáil last week, An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (FG) said he expected an announcement to be made by the end of the year and for a second round of funding before the Government’s term concluded. Deputy McNamara commented, “Despite all the promises, there’s still no announcement of funding for Broadford, Cooraclare or any of the many other unsewered settlements across the country to install a sewerage scheme”.
Speaking to The Clare Echo on Wednesday, Mayor of Clare, Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) expressed his disappointment with representatives from the county making repeated inaccurate announcements on the topic. “We here on the ground are getting the brunt of it and we’re getting phonecalls to say what are the announcements about and whether there will be one before certain dates but we should all work together to get this over the line. I’ve always worked with the Oireachtas members and will continue to work with them to get this over the line which is vital and hopefully when it is announced that both Broadford and Cooraclare are included”.
Cllr Cooney said, “The ongoing wait is frustrating for the people of Broadford and Cooraclare at this stage, there has been promises made of announcements at different dates and stages but unfortunately as of now that hasn’t happened. I did hear the Taoiseach in the Dáil that there would be an announcement before the end of the year and as we’re well aware at this stage the end of the year is not too far away but I’d still be hopeful that this announcement will be made sooner rather than later in the interests of getting proper infrastructure into small villages like Broadford and Cooraclare who are dying on their feet at the moment without the proper infrastructure, hopefully this announcement will be made definitely before the end of the year if not sooner”.
