Water mains servicing the main street of Ennistymon and the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre are expected to be completed in time for the 2019 tourist season.
A joint motion from councillors Bill Slattery and Richard Nagle welcomed the granting of funding by Irish Water for the replacement of water mains at Ennistymon main street and Dereen, Liscannor. The duo requested Clare County Council liaise with the water utility company created by the Government “to ensure that the works are completed on time and that both main street Ennistymon from Blake’s Corner to the Kerry co-op and at Dereen Liscannor from the Rock Shop to the Visitor Centre at the Cliffs of Moher are strengthened before the tourist season begins”.
In response, executive engineer, Morgan Lahiffe stated Irish Water were due to start work in March 2019 in Ennistymon which is scheduled to last one month. They will then proceed to carry out watermain works at Dereen. He confirmed the Council would resurface both roads once Irish Water have concluded their repairs.
He added, “1.3km of the roadway between Liscannor and the Rock Shop was upgraded in 2018. A further 1.2km of road from the Rock Shop to Considines Bar will be upgraded in the SMDW 2019”. Lahiffe said the Council would contact the Department of Transport for further funding “to enable continuation of resurfacing works towards the Cliffs of Moher centre for the 2019 roadworks season”. If unsuccessful, it will be funded in 2020.
Speaking at the January meeting of the West Clare Municipal District, Cllr Slattery highlighted, “there was a serious issue last summer with a leak in the Dereen area”. He praised the positive reply from Lahiffe and questioned would the works be completed in time for the tourist season.
Cllr Richard Nagle queried if Irish Water have informed the Council if they had appointed a contractor. “Have they given assurance that they will start and finish on time? The tourist season will be well underway by April, the road will also have to be blacktopped in May”.
According to Morgan Lahiffe, a contractor has been appointed and the local authority have been provided with relevant details. “They are putting in new water mains which will futureproof it for years to come apparently. The contractor is not working for me or the Council”. Morgan said March 10th is the approximate start date, “I’m told they are on track, the intention is to be done by mid April by which we’ll have a contractor ready to do overlay works which should take five days. Even if it runs into May, the worst case scenario is extra traffic”. He was hopeful the main street in Ennistymon would be complete by the end of May and Dereen between mid to late May.
