Reading a recent article about water standards in coastal areas, I was reminded of the Mutton Island controversy of the 1990s which was more circulatory than the roving slicks of excrement that roamed the Bay. For our younger readers, 8 million gallons of raw sewage was being pumped daily into the Bay in the absence of any kind of adequate treatment plant and given the nature of the Bay, it tended to hang around.
Looking back, it's hard to see how there was any legitimate opposition to the scheme; the visual intrusion is minimal, there's no smell from the plant, the water quality in the Bay has improved beyond belief and the causeway itself has become part of the walking infrastructure of the City. Architectural tours take in the old Lighthouse on the Island so even up close the presence of the plant doesn't offend.
It's also unthinkable that we would have been able to proceed without the scheme given the level of growth in the City and the likelihood that subsequent legislation would have entailed massive fines being accrued. Indeed, given that the Mutton Island plant was upgraded during the "boom years" to take into account the City's growth, it's hard to see how one of the alternatives would have been expanded as easily.
So I fired up the Irish Times archive to see what was the thinking at the time.
A group called Save Galway Bay (chairman Michael O'Flaherty) were proposing a land based plant in Lough Atalia (on the site of the derelict isolation hospital), threatening (through secretary Derek Hambleton) to take the relevant Minister (then Brendan Howlin) to the CJEU, arguing amongst other things that the famous Habitats Directive (not transposed into Irish Law at the time, but possibly overdue) was violated. It is doubtful that such group would have locus standi to do so but the Commission was prepared at one stage to instigate proceedings.
A funding row also occurred with the EU wishing to withhold Structural and Cohesion Fund money due to the location, with the Commission being of the view that a mainland location should be chosen. Labour Councillors (and indeed Michael D) at times floated the compromise idea of a Mutton Island plant, but built underground with no causeway, like some kind of lair for the worst James Bond villain ever.
Parallel to this, An Taisce were objecting to other developments on the basis that without Mutton Island being operational, the sewage problem would be compounded.
High Court proceedings were brought by SGB through Claddagh based actor Ray McBride seeking to halt the request for tenders to construct the plant and causeway. This action failed and he was landed with reported costs of £160,000. At this point, SGB appeared to cut McBride loose:
On the appeal issue, Mr Hambleton said: "It is not our decision. The case was in the name of Ray McBride. Ultimately, it's his decision. Naturally, we support our members".
Pending the Supreme Court appeal, the sewage problem continued and £885,000 was sought to move the outflow pipe further out into the bay. The Supreme Court ruled in favour of the scheme in 1998 and there was talk of "eco warriors" occupying the island to prevent construction.
Tenders were signed in spring 1998 and construction was underway on the causeway until a land dispute arose between the estate of Henry Grattan and the Council. This was resolved (I believe through spending more money) and construction recommenced.
Dire predictions followed in a letter to the Times by "Galway Native" Tom Conroy, writing from Dublin 6 that:
The responsibility for this mess lies with Galway Corporation's flawed and stubborn patterns of thinking - as it will in five years' time when the plant may need to be expanded, at escalating cost, and the citizenry realise the full impact of the visual and olfactory pollution; as it will in 20 years' time when future citizens and visitors to Galway will be amazed at such costly environmental blunders that have destroyed the very reasons that made the city worth seeing and living in.
Construction was completed in May 2004 and the upgrade work approved by ABP in 2007.
So, nearly 20 years and over €60 million on, is anyone in agreement with the above predictions of Tom Conroy or perhaps Margaret Cox (whose late father, Tom Cox, helped establish SGB) that "it is the greatest mistake ever made in the development of Galway"?
I acknowledge the possibility that this will "inspire" a piece in one of the local rags so knock yourselves out you plagiarising, press release recycling hacks.
