Enda Craig: Says Micky Doherty being “opportunistic”
A FINE Gael councillor has been heavily criticised over comments he has made about a controversial sewage plant.
Micky Doherty has been criticised by the Campaign For a Clean Estuary group based in Inishowen.
The group opposes treated sewage being pumped into Lough Foyle under a controversial Donegal County Council proposal now being overseen by Irish Water.
CFCE spokesman Enda Craig told us: “Having displayed minimal interest In the Community For a Clean Estuary sewage campaign over the years, Fine Gael Clr Micky Doherty now appears as a cheerleader for Irsh Water and has the audacity to declare to the residents of Moville and Greencastle that ‘you will now get nothing less than what you absolutely deserve’ by way of the long awaited sewage plant.
“This declaration has all all the hallmarks of an opportunistic exercise in a pathetic attempt to gather in additional votes by putting into the public domain selective information.
“If Clr Doherty had bothered to ask, the CFCE could have told him that the Moville/ Greeencastle WWTP is listed only on an extensive ‘proposed’ list of developments as mentioned by Irish Water in their latest publication.
“It is crystal clear Clr Doherty is not aware that in relation to this proposed Plant that Irish Water has not yet undertaken the lengthy Compulsive Purchase Order process or that Irish Water has not yet applied for a Discharge Licence to the Environmental Protection Agency.”
Mr Craig said Irish Water has not yet addressed ownership of the seabed of Lough Foyle (as claimed by the Crown Estate in London).
“Irish Water must also await the outcome of our appeal to Brusells where our complaint against the findings of An Bord Pleanala and The High Court is being assessed by the European Commission and The Aarhaus Convention,” said Mr Craig.
“Irish Water has not yet addressed the abandoning of the Donegal Council motion in 1990 to locate the Plant and Pipe north of Greencastle which had been agreed unanimously. This followed the outrageous declaration by the EPD/DOE of Lough Foyle being classified as Atlantic Ocean.
“Making such statements on the eve of an election is totally unacceptable. It is cynical, oppurtunistic and reflects badly on the democratic process,” added Mr Craig.
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