Shock as community centre in Mayo hit with €87,000 water connection bill

A COMMUNITY centre committee in west Mayo is being asked to pay €57,000 for a water connection.

And there's another €30,000 on top of that to bring it to a hydrant.

The bill from Irish Water is in respect of Burrishoole Community Centre and it was highlighted for a second time by Councillor Johnny O'Malley at a meeting of Mayo County Council.

He explained how the centre provides for football and other activities but it is being left idle, unable to open as they have no water.

A fire cert cannot be obtained without water, he stated.

To ask the centre for €57,000 surely wasn't right, said Councillor O'Malley.

“The project was delivered and they are hit with this bill. Irish Water should be ashamed of themselves,” he said.

Councillor O'Malley asked the council's chief executive to get involved and do what he can to make the centre available to the community.

Councillor Gerry Murray described Irish Water as the most dysfunctional public utility in Ireland, if not Europe.

Water and sanitary services should be delegated back to the councils and his proposal asking government to do this was agreed.

Director of services John Condon said the council has no role in delivering water connections. It is a matter for Irish Water.

He would be having a meeting with them and would bring the issue to their attention.