Minister Éamon Ó Cuív said in a statement this week that a public meeting would be held on the l0th April 2006 at 9.OOpm in Aras Sorcha Uí Ghuraim, Carna to discuss water issues. The issue of the provision of water to those people and villages not connected to the Carna/Cill Chiaráin/Cashel Water scheme would be discussed in particular, and Minister said, confirming that he would attend the meeting.

Meanwhile, an incident in the Cashel area, in which a shot is alleged to have been fired, is the latest in a string of incidents that have affected the work of the Ward and Burke company - contractors on the Cill Chiaráin/Carna/Cashel Regional Water Scheme.

It is understood that the Gardaí seized a shotgun and further investigations are going on. Ward and Burke contractors temporarily stopped work but they resumed again on Monday of this week.

This incident is one of a number that have occurred during work the water scheme. There have been a number of thefts of machinery and equipment as well as damage to trafflc lights reported to the Gardaí.

A public meeting was called in Cashel in January in order to highlight difficulties that people were having on local roads because of the water scheme. However, a company spokespeople pointed out that they had to bring heavy machinery in on local roads because of the amount of rock that had to be broken.

Work on the Cili Chiar88in/Carna Water seheme began last October and is away ahead of schedule - with plans to compiete the 59-kilometre pipelaying job by the cnd of this month. This is the biggest ever water scheme west of Galway city.

Meanwhile, Councillor Seosamh Ó Cuaig says the Government should put in €1m. in order to extend the new water scheme in the CilI Chiaráin/Carna area to a number of local townlands. He is requesting that the pipeline should be extended from the main road to eleven sideroads where people are some distance removed from the scheme. "I now have the fuIl support of Galway County Council for this", Councillor ef Cuaig said. "A letter has gone from the County Council to the Dept of the Environment calling on them to do this job. It would cost €1m. but it must be pointed out that Government has been able to do the job on the scheme at a cost much less than was forecast first. Therefore, we should have the seheme extended to the sideroads. There are 52 houses involved."

Councillor Ó Cuaig said he had not been able to figure out exactiy why - despite asking many questions - the scheme was brought on to a number of side roads and townlands, and not to others. This had nothing to do with the contractors, they were doing exactly what was mapped out by the Department and by Galway County Council, he said.

It was now up to the Government Ministers for West Galway to ensure that the €1m. needed was provided by the Department of the Environment.

An Cúradh Chonnachtach 7/4/2006

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