Galway wastewater projects move closer to planning stage despite funding gap
Uisce Éireann hopes to put forward planning permissions on the Galway’s Craughwell and Clarinbridge wastewater treatment projects despite the projects being locked by a co-funding requirement.
Speaking at an Oireachtas committee meeting on infrastructure, Asset Management and Sustainability Director for Uisce Éireann Sean Laffey gave an update on the development of the two projects.
Mr Laffey said a programme manager has been put in place to advance the Rural Water Porgramme making up eight funding measures aimed at improving water services for communities that are not connected to Uisce Éireann networks, including Galway.
Uisce Éireann hopes to have a design and procurement consultant in October for Craughwell and Clarinbridge. It also plans to submit both projects to planning in 2027 and move towards tender and construction.
“Obviously building a treatment plant from scratch is quite an undertaking so it could be five years before it’s there but it’s moving,” Mr Laffey added.
Despite moving closer to planning, the co-funding requirement from Galway County Council remains key to unlock the projects.
In 2023, Craughwell and Clarinbridge received €20 million to build the treatment plants. Two years later, Uisce Éireann requested co-funding from Galway County Council.
In 2025, Galway County councillors said this was the first time they had heard of any match funding requirement from the allocation. “The only answer is for the local authority to chalk up the millions of euros,” Councillor Martina Kinane said.
The match funding requirement was later decreased to 8pc (€2.4 million) preceding a promise from Taoiseach Micheál Martin to pay a visit to the area. The Taoiseach has yet to deliver that promise.
Galway County Council cannot afford the match funding and it is looking for other solutions.
In both areas, the wastewater treatment plants are essential in providing future housing developments already planned. Galway East TD Louis O’Hara called the delays “unacceptable” as the wastewater upgrades “are badly needed to enable new housing delivery and to protect the environment.”
“Funding was announced for these projects three years ago but they have been at a standstill ever since,” Deputy O’Hara added. “While it is welcome that it appears that some progress is finally being made, we now need to see urgency from the various stakeholders in progressing its delivery.”
At this time, no solution has been given for Galway County Council to secure the funding or be relinquished from its responsibility.