The inclusion of Clonshaugh in Dublin as one of three potential sites for a new sewage treatment plant poses a significant environmental threat to a protected coastal amenity in north Dublin, Labour TD Tommy Broughan has claimed.
The Dublin North East TD said it also breached EU environment policy because if sited at Clonshaugh, 2.2km from Dublin Airport, its outfall – where treated effluent is discharged – would be at Baldoyle- Portmarnock and would threaten “the velvet strand from Portmarnock to Baldoyle bay and on to the Malahide estuary”, an EU conservation area.
Mr Broughan said the location meant the sewage plant would be “dumped on a vulnerable lower income residential district”, when there were more appropriate locations “in the heart of Fingal county”.
Fingal County Council plans to build a regional sewage treatment plant in north Dublin. Clonshaugh is being considered along with Annsbrook, which is 2.7km west of Lusk, and Newtowncorduff, 1km west of Lusk.