Hartley residents in Carrick-on-Shannon seek meeting to recover funds

Hartley Residents Association in Carrick-on-Shannon are seeking a meeting with Leitrim County Council to discuss money paid by members in relation to a sewerage scheme that is no longer viable.

Cllr Enda Stenson said all councillors were contacted by members and were informed “there are a lot of people upset” as they submitted funds into a scheme they hoped would be successful.
Cllr Stenson stated, “We don't know how to address the issues they have” and asked that local authority officials meet with the residents to discuss what can be done and if and how funds can be recovered.

Chairperson of Carrick-on-Shannon Municipal District Sean McGowan said all councillors support this proposal.
Cllr Des Guckian asked for the executive of Leitrim County Council to provide a summary and history of the scheme to date.
Joseph Gilhooly, Director of Services outlined that the design and costing set out by the residents association were “deemed not sustainable” by the Department for a scheme.
He said the scheme was under a Rural Group Water programme.

He added that the Council did seek information from the Government department about the recovery of funds.
In conclusion he said he will liaise with the councillors to arrange a meeting with Hartley Residents Association.
In November last year, Leitrim County Council recommended that Hartley residents “move on and wind up their application” after their request for a Group Sewerage Scheme was denied.
The Council had advised the group to “seek payment of the grant towards their costs to date.”
But no details of how to recover costs were explained by the Council or the Group Water programme.
Approximately 50 homeowners are affected in the Hartley area, and some may have to upgrade or replace individual septic tanks if they fail an inspection at their own cost. The Council has stated the town sewerage will not be extended to include these houses.

Previously it was heard that a lot of time and effort was spent on the application and the residents were bitterly disappointed when their submission was not accepted.