Mayor of Galway Niall Ó Brolcháin has questioned why Minister for the Environment Dick Roche is continuing to direct all his criticism of the contaminated public water system at Galway City Council.
He said last night the Minister appeared to be deliberately discounting the role of his own department and Galway County Council, and the urgent need to clean up Lough Corrib as part of the long-term solution to the water crisis.
The mayor was commenting after a closed briefing for councillors by Galway City Council on the situation regarding the contaminated public water supply.
A spokesman for the Minister said last night that Mr Roche only wanted to resolve the problem, and did not want to make it a "political football".
Six councillors attended the briefing, and were informed of plans to augment the city's supply from the Luimnagh plant in north Galway as part of efforts to close the old Terryland waterworks by mid-June.
Mr Ó Brolcháin said he accepted the city council's point that there was "no quick fix" to the water situation, but said the councillors were seeking further information on several aspects.
A report from a Cork-based environmental company in relation to the threat to the water supply, which was given to the council seven months ago, had referred to an analysis of drinking water monitoring results for 2004 and 2005. It showed "high levels" of clostridium - an indicator organism for cryptosporidium - in samples taken from the old Terryland waterworks.
The report noted that "only 74 per cent" of the samples were compliant.
The city councillors have sought further information on this, and have also asked for a report on the old Terryland waterworks in mid-February by consultants employed by Galway City Council.
Meanwhile Galway Chamber of Commerce is hosting a water information seminar today for the business community. A public meeting on the issue for concerned citizens has been advertised for the Warwick Hotel, Salthill, for tonight by a contributor to the myspace.com internet website.