Fish fears over sludge plan

Fisheries interests in North Galway have taken a strong interest in a proposal to transport thousands of tonnes of sludge from various parts of the country to Tuam.

That’s amid claims that almost 4,000 lorries a year – carrying human and animal excrement – will be arriving in Tuam, if the proposal by Irish Water proceeds.

Another meeting is taking place in Tuam to hear concerns from locals on foot of a public meeting that was attended by around seventy people last week.

Many of them said their greatest fear from this was for the future of the River Clare.

The meeting was chaired by Cllr Donagh Killilea who says that fisheries groups have major issues about the sludge plant that is being proposed for the town.

The Fianna Fail councillor said that there was one such plant planned for Mutton Island in Galway city and another for Ballina but a combination of traffic and river concerns resulted in these being scuppered.

However, sludge plants for Tuam and Sligo are still on the agenda by Irish Water who have pushed back their date for submissions from the public to November 5.

Cllr Killilea told the meeting that it is proposed to intake around 50,000 tonnes of sludge a year into Tuam which would involve around 3,800 trucks arriving and departing from the town.

“If we allow this animal and human excrement into the town, then we can say goodbye to any further investment in Tuam. The consequences will be horrific.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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