Galway county councillors are due to vote today on controversial zonings of coastal land for development, which could pose a threat to the shellfish beds in Clarinbridge.
However, councillors representing the immediate area say that they believe the full chamber will recognise the value of the south Galway oyster industry, estimated to generate some €50 million annually from festivals associated with it.
Residents say that some 17 proposed material alterations to the Clarinbridge local area plan could expand the village of just over 400 people to a suburb of up to 10,000 people, at a time when other suburban areas in Galway are suffering serious water contamination due to overdevelopment.
The Clarinbridge Community Development Association believes the effect would be to zone an additional 115 acres of land beyond an undeveloped 93 acres already zoned in the draft plan.
The association points out that there has been no environmental assessment of the proposed alterations. Last week, the Irish Shellfish Association warned that any such move, without first ensuring provision of adequate waste water and sewage treatment, would pollute inner Galway bay and would be in direct breach of EU regulations.
This would expose Irish taxpayers to "major EU fines" for breaches, the Irish Shellfish Association's chief executive, Richie Flynn, has said. The asociation supports the Clarinbridge Oyster Co-operative's call for sewage treatment facilities and for designation of a buffer zone to protect the coastline from development.
Fine Gael Cllr Fidelma Healy Eames, chair of the local area grouping, said that there was consensus among her colleagues, Cllr Jarlath McDonagh (FG), Cllr Jim Cuddy (PD) and Cllr Mary Hoade (FF) on the need to protect the oyster industry.
The group had called for a fast-tracking of provision of sewerage infrastructure, she said.
However, Cllr Mary Hoade said that the four area councillors could only advise the larger grouping of 30 councillors who will vote on the plan.
Cllr Michael Regan (FF), an auctioneer with business in the south Galway area, was unavailable for comment on his position on the issue when The Irish Times made efforts to contact him.
"Galway is already in the middle of an environmental crisis over drinking water quality, and we really don't want to lose Clarinbridge bay," Michael Egan of the Clarinbridge Oyster Co-op said.
However, he said that irrespective of the councillors' position, no one could have confidence in Galway County Council.
The local authority was fined €1,000 earlier this month for polluting a 6km stretch of the Clarin river with sewage on two occasions last year.
The local authority pleaded guilty at Athenry District Court to the two offences, following prosecution by the Western Regional Fisheries Board. Overloading of the Athenry sewage treatment plant had contributed to the second incident, and had continued to pollute the river for the rest of last year, the court heard.
Minster for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Éamon Ó Cuív yesterday welcomed the allocation of €19 million by the Department of Environment for sewage treatment at Athenry and Clifden.
Earlier this month, Labour Party president and Galway West TD Michael D Higgins said that if the Environmental Protection Agency was to "have any credibility", it must intervene before the councillors voted on Clarinbridge.
