Claddagh upset over lead pipe grants

Date Published: 03-Nov-2009

RESIDENTS in the Claddagh are complaining about being given a reminder to apply for a grant to replace their piping at the centre of the lead contamination crisis just four days before the deadline. Homeowners received letters from Galway City Council on Wednesday informing them that the deadline for the receipt of applications for the available grants was on Saturday (October 31), just four days later. They were also angry at the lack of guidelines contained in the letter about who was eligible for the grant. The provision of bottled water, which has been supplied by the city council since the contamination was revealed, ended on Saturday. Local councillor Catherine Connolly said the local residents committee had notified householders a month ago about the looming deadline, which had already been extended by a month. However some of the residents, many of them elderly, needed more time to investigate whether their pipes were lead and whether they were eligible for the grants. Householders who availed of the council refuse waiver scheme, were in receipt of a pension or social welfare payment, were entitled to apply for the grant, which is up to €300. This represented about 60% of the cost of the remedial work in previous schemes. “I’d be hopeful it would be extended again. A lot of the residents are older and need more time. They don’t know if their pipes are lead unless they dig them up because not every house was tested for lead contamination,” Cllr Connolly said. For more see page 12 of The Sentinel