Deputy Eoin Hayes -17th July

Dear David, 
 
I agree that the reply is not adequate and provides no reassurance that they are committed to any temporary improvement measures that might alleviate the problem in the short term. I will follow up with UE at the CEO/Board level and at Ministerial level with your suggestions. 
 
I had hoped to catch the Minister for Public Expenditure (who has responsibility for this) today, as the delivery timelines of the Greater Dublin Drainage Scheme are at best worrying in the current context but was unable to, given his schedule.
 
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this and I will keep pushing!
Best regards, 
_
Eoin Hayes TD

Deputy Eoin Hayes - 2nd July

​

Dear David, 

 

Thank you for your letter and I absolutely share your disgust and frustration, which I also shared with the Dublin People recently.  

In April I asked the Minister to share the actions his department were taking to deal with the dumping of raw sewage onto Sandymount Strand but the question was referred to Uisce Eireann on grounds that it was an operational issue. Below is the response I received from Uisce Eireann for your reference; I will raise this with the Minister again at the next available opportunity. 

 

Ceasing this practise is a key priority for me over the course of my Dáil term.

 

"Dear Deputy Hayes,

 

I am writing to you today regarding your query on the Ringsend Wastewater Treatment plant. Your Uisce Éireann reference number for same was 89862/34449, which was raised on the 01/05/2025. I understand this issue was a source of concern for your constituents.

 

Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade Ringsend Wastewater Treatment plant is the largest in the country, treating 40% of all the country’s wastewater. Uisce Éireann is investing €550 million in an upgrade of the plant which allow it to treat the increasing volumes of wastewater arriving at the plant to the required standard, enabling future housing and commercial development. The project will deliver, on a phased basis, the capacity to treat the wastewater for a population equivalent of 2.4 million while achieving the standards of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive by the end of 2025. Uisce Eireann completed construction of the infrastructure in Ringsend to treat the wastewater for a population equivalent of 2.1 million at the end of 2023. Following a period of testing and commissioning the upgraded assets are operational and effluent quality improved significantly in 2024.

 

Compliance with the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive is assessed retrospectively based on the attainment of 12 months compliance with the UWWTD Emission Limit Values (ELVs). We are monitoring the performance and the loading of the plant closely with a view to achieving this at the earliest possible time. Ailesbury Pumping Station The stormwater overflow at Ailesbury pumping station (near Sandymount) is a critical flood defence mechanism for the protection of properties in the locality. The sewer system in this area was built in the 1900s and, as was typical at the time, it carries both wastewater from homes and businesses and water that is drained off roads and pavements, roofs and patio areas of local housing. This predates current building practice and current standards now required to meet the bathing water criteria. This stormwater overflow is designed in particular to protect Ailesbury Gardens and St Albans Park from flooding during periods of intense rainfall. If this storm water station does not activate or where the rainfall in the catchment is greater than the capacity of the pumps, internal property flooding with rain water and sewage from the combined sewer is observed.

 

To alleviate the flooding the storm water and diluted combined sewer flows are pumped to the coast and discharge directly to the strand. Uisce Éireann completed a substantial upgrade to Ailesbury pumping station in 2021, which included works to reduce the risk associated with pump failures. Further works are planned to improve the monitoring of the overflows from the combined sewer catchment leading to this pumped SWO. Uisce Éireann is also progressing the catchment study or Drainage Area Plan (DAP) for this area to investigate the performance of the wider sewerage networks. Uisce Éireann established these programmes to help understand and improve the performance of the wastewater networks, protect the environment and facilitate social and economic development over the coming years. This is an extensive element of work to survey the historic network and create a model to allow future upgrades to be designed to ensure any future proposals are fit for purpose, in line with climate change and new rainfall intensities, and meeting bathing water and discharge requirements. 

 

I trust that this update provides clarity to both you and your constituents. Should you have any further queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us on the details below. For the latest supply and services updates, please see: https://www.water.ie/?map=supply-and-service-updates.

  

Yours sincerely,"