Uisce Éireann has welcomed Government’s "renewed commitment to water infrastructure investment"

Uisce Éireann has welcomed Government’s "renewed commitment to water infrastructure investment through the revised National Development Plan (NDP), which outlines a record €274.5 billion in Ireland’s capital investment" and in a statement to the Leitrim Observer, it stated that "this prioritisation of water infrastructure reflects the critical role that resilient water services play in enabling sustainable growth, supporting housing delivery and protecting the environment across Ireland."

The updated plan includes an additional €34 billion in capital funding compared to the original 2021–2030 framework. This brings the total investment to €102.4 billion over the next five years, with a further €100 billion earmarked through to 2035.

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The revised NDP focuses on transformational infrastructure across key sectors including housing, water, energy, and transport, alongside major investments in health, disability services, and education.

Last week the Leitrim Observer reported that Uisce Éireann came under attack at the latest Ballinamore meeting where Cllr Gary Prior said that something had to be done about constant water outages in the area. 

Cllr Prior said the current water system is "crumbling at the moment in the south Leitrim area from the Uisce Éireann end of things and it doesn't seem to be fit for purpose". 

The meeting heard that businesses in the Ballinamore area are losing money due to the outages with Cllr Prior stating that the "hairdressers had to shut down and local food outlets had to close for the evening and are asking if the council is going to reduce their rates."

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While it didn't specifically mention any plans for Leitrim, the statement from Uisce Éireann continued that "as Ireland plans for a growing population and increasing housing demand, Uisce Éireann is focused on delivering the water and wastewater infrastructure that will underpin this growth" and that the Water Supply Project, Eastern and Midlands Region "will be central to meeting long-term demand and ensuring environmental sustainability. These transformative investments will provide the capacity and resilience needed to support housing, economic development, and climate adaptation in the decades to come. The commitment of ringfenced funding for these projects in the NDP is to be greatly welcomed."

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The statement concluded: "We are looking forward to engaging with Government and state agencies to deliver on our ambitious targets, and to plan, procure, and deliver critical water infrastructure efficiently at scale. We will be working with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the next steps in relation to funding timelines. Uisce Éireann remains committed to delivering safe, climate-resilient, and future-proofed water services that support Ireland’s social, environmental, and economic goals."