Sinn Féin Inishowen Councillor Jack Murray and local TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn have raised their serious concerns with Donegal County Manager Seamus Neely over recent reports that the British Crown Estate claim to own the entire seabed of Lough Foyle.
There are reports the British may challenge Donegal County Council’s plans to run an outflow pipe from the proposed Moville/ Greencastle sewerage scheme into the Lough at Carnagarve.
Cllr Murray said: “Donegal County Council plans to build a wastewater treatment plant which will pump thousands of gallons of effluent into the scenic Carnagarve bathing waters.
“Local residents and respected environmental experts are concerned that the location of the outflow pipe within the Lough Foyle estuary, will cause serious environmental problems in Lough Foyle.
“For 23 years the local community has fought to have the proposed plant built north of Greencastle and have the outfall pipe pumped safely into coastal waters and not into the confines of Lough Foyle.
“This has been determinedly resisted by the council and some local representatives”.
Cllr Murray added: “But events have now taken a sharp turn with news that the British Crown Estate claims to own the entire seabed of Lough Foyle and that they may challenge Donegal County Council’s plans.
“The Council had advertised the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Marine as the owner of the seabed when issuing the CPO (Compulsory Purchase Order. Now it is alleged that the Department knows nothing about a CPO”.
He continued: ”Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and I have now written to the County Manager and the Council’s Director of Water and Environment Services seeking urgent clarification of the Council’s response to these reports.
“In the face of well documented opposition, millions of taxpayer’s money has been spent on this project to date. We are very concerned that there is potential for millions more to be potentially wasted. As public representatives, we would find that to be indefensible.”