Paul Mulville, Fingal Social Democrats Councillor, has called on the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to sanction the extension of the public sewage mains to Corballis / Balcarrick, and along Turvey Avenue, on the Donabate Portrane peninsula. Cllr. Mulville stated, “Recently Uisce Éireann came before Council members to provide an update on their investment plans for the Dublin Region, and to take questions from Councillors. I again raised the need for the public sewage mains to be extended to Corballis / Balcarrick, and along Turvey Avenue (towards old Turvey Cottages / Tesco Distribution Centre end). However, for this to happen, Irish Water has confirmed that the Minister needs to approve the inclusion of such a local scheme as part of the multi-annual water programme, and to allocate funding for it. Local residents in Balcarrick / Corballis and along towards the end of Turvey Avenue area have, for many years, expressed a strong desire to be allowed connect onto the public sewage network, a basic standard which many of us take for granted. Ireland has obligations under EU directives to ensure that the disposal of human waste does not have a harmful impact on the environment. As such, it is important that people living in close proximity to public sewage infrastructure should be allowed move away from septic tanks and connect to the mains if they wish to. “This is of particular importance for the Corballis / Balcarrick area, which contains many golf clubs and caravan parks, as well as many residential homes, and in which Donabate beach is located, one of the most popular beaches in Dublin, and also a designated Natura 2000 international site. There are also many homes along Turvey Avenue, as well industrial and business facilities, including the Tesco Distribution Centre, in close proximity to the Rogerstown Estuary and streams which flow into it, and all these residences and facilities need to be allowed onto the public sewage mains to protect Donabate’s natural environment For example, the Tesco Distribution Centre, the largest building in the country by volume, the 11th largest by volume in the world, is not serviced by public sewer. Instead, wastewater generated on site is addressed via an onsite wastewater treatment system, regulated by a trade effluent discharge licence. The Minister needs to step up here for the sake of the natural environment and for the people of Corballis/ Balcarrick and Turvey.”