Six communities in Cork to benefit from Small Towns and Villages Growth programme

Another community within Cork is set to benefit from an Uisce Éireann Programme to support growth and housing development, while protecting the local environment. This brings the total number of communities within Cork benefiting from this programme to six.

Following consultation with Cork County Council, Glanworth has been today announced as the sixth project in the county to be allocated funding under the Small Towns and Villages Growth programme. The programme supports growth and development in towns and villages throughout the country, while protecting the environment and safeguarding water supplies. 

After consultation and assessment of each project, the six settlements to benefit are:

1. Kilumney/ Ovens
2. Ballineen/ Enniskean
3. Belgooly
4. Ballinspittle
5. Castlemagner
6. Glanworth 

Under the programme, 37  projects throughout the country have been allocated funding to date. Working in partnership with Local Authorities, this investment in the local wastewater infrastructure will provide additional capacity for the development of new homes, and support the Government's Housing for All initiative, while ensuring that wastewater continues to be treated to an appropriate standard.

Uisce Éireann has announced these projects to enable Local Authorities to make plans on housing and development into the short and medium-term supporting their regional and local development plans. 

Maria O'Dwyer, Acting Head of Asset Management for Uisce Éireann, said: "The purpose of the Small Towns and Villages Growth Programme is to provide funding for water and wastewater treatment plant growth capacity in smaller settlements. This programme supports the recently published Housing for All strategy and is focused on assisting growth in areas already served by Uisce Éireann infrastructure.

"Uisce Éireann put this unique programme in place and allocated funding having identified the need to support growth in smaller towns and villages. The six projects were selected following detailed consultation with Cork County Council to identify and prioritise areas for investment. We would also like to thank all elected representatives across the country of their engagement with us on highlighting the areas most in need."  

The project will now continue through the next stages including design, detailed planning, procurement and approvals. Further updates on the budget and timelines for delivery will be provided in due course. Looking forward, Uisce Éireann anticipates that this programme will continue in the next capital investment programme, delivering further upgrades to cater for growth.

Uisce Éireann is responsible for public water and wastewater infrastructure and is committed to providing a safe and reliable water supply, protecting the environment and supporting the growth of homes and businesses. The building, repair and upgrading of Uisce Éireann's water treatment plants, wastewater treatment plants, water and sewer network will require a multi-billion euro investment programme over many years. Uisce Éireann is investing €5.2 billion in the period from 2020-2024 in drinking water and wastewater quality and capacity and new infrastructure.