Uisce Éireann has defended its communication practices with Cork’s elected representatives following criticism over its refusal to attend a special public meeting of Cork City Council about the city’s ongoing dirty water problems.
The public meeting, scheduled for Thursday at City Hall, was postponed after Uisce Éireann, the HSE, and the Environmental Protection Agency all declined to send representatives. The meeting had been arranged for councillors to question the agencies about the three-year discoloration issue affecting Cork’s drinking water supply.
Councillors expressed particular frustration with Uisce Éireann when it emerged that CEO Niall Gleeson and other senior executives had agreed to a private meeting with city officials on Wednesday, just before declining the public council meeting. Following this behind-closed-doors discussion, the public meeting was postponed.
Fine Gael councillor Shane O’Callaghan strongly criticized the utility, stating: “Uisce Éireann executives are well able to take their bonuses, but they won’t meet the representatives of the taxpayers, the people who pay their wages.” Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould accused the organization of “ducking and diving” and “refusing to face scrutiny.”
In response, Uisce Éireann maintained it “has always been, and remains, committed to open dialogue” with elected representatives. The utility pointed to six specific engagements held over the past year regarding the water discoloration issue – three for Oireachtas members and three for city councillors. However, attendance at these briefings was notably low, with only five of 31 councillors attending a May 9 online briefing, nine at a September 12 session, and just three at an in-person meeting in February.
According to The Irish Examiner, the utility explained it had scheduled a comprehensive ‘council workshop’ for Thursday as part of a national initiative, which Cork City Council opted to cancel in favor of the special meeting. Uisce Éireann claimed the workshop format “would not be possible to integrate” into a special council meeting and is awaiting confirmation of a rescheduled date.
The company also detailed ongoing efforts by its water-quality taskforce to address the dirty water problem, including targeted pipe flushing, additional sampling and testing, watermains rehabilitation, and work at the Lee Road water treatment plant commissioned in summer 2022.
It is understood that city officials will prepare a report based on their private meeting with Uisce Éireann for councillors to consider at their next regular council meeting.