The controversial River Shannon to Dublin water pipeline project would “cause damage to tourism and fisheries” at Lough Derg, a community group has warned.

The project received Government approval in June 2024 and aims to take water from Ireland’s largest river to service the greater Dublin area, which is currently reliant on the River Liffey.

The 170km pipeline is proposed to begin at the Parteen Basin in Tipperary and will pass through the counties of Offaly, Kildare, and Westmeath to a reservoir at Peamount in County Dublin.

Its cost estimates have ranged from €3.3bn to €10.4bn.

Controversial project

A report by Newstalk’s Josh Crosbie on The Pat Kenny Show today delved into why the plan is controversial among communities along its route and why Uisce Éireann insists it is necessary.

Shannon Protection Alliance Group member Kay Mullane told Josh that her and other Lough Derg locals fear it would damage the popular amenity.

“We are very concerned about the environmental aspects of this pipeline, the damage to ecosystems, tourism and fisheries,” she said.

“But we also realised that this was really a waste of taxpayer's money, we feel it isn’t necessary and there are other alternatives closer to Dublin.

“We feel really let down by the Government, who are responsible; they have the responsibility for public utility here.”

Holy Island on Lough Derg.

Uisce Éireann Asset Strategy Manager Angela Ryan said the project is necessary due to increased water demands in Dublin.

“We produce about 620 million litres of water per day in the region, and that just about meets demand,” she said.

“On any given day, we're under pressure and all of the water treatment plants within the region are running at 100% capacity, 365 days a year.”

'No long-term footprint'

Ms Ryan said the pipeline will have no negative impact on the environment.

“There will be no perceivable difference to [the River Shannon’s] flow in Limerick City, for example,” she said.

“It’s relatively disruptive during the works, but we will have no long-term footprint”.

Dublin's River Liffey. Picture: Donal Murphy Photography / Alamy Stock Photo

Fight the Pipe’s Liam Minehan, one of around 500 landowners along the route, told Josh some farmers would not like any disruption caused to their land.

“They’re proposing to take a 50-metre strip off me, but I don’t think it’s going to happen,” he said.

“One day the money will be long gone, and somebody will walk out into my field and say, ‘Look at what that fool let them do’ – and that will be my contribution to the farm.

“A lot of landowners think these compulsory purchase orders are inevitable, but I think this is engineering for engineering’s sake”.

The next stage for the project involves Uisce Éireann, the state-owned water company, submitting a planning application, with construction expected to take around five years.

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Main image: An aerial view of the River Shannon in Clare. Picture by Hans Blossey Alamy Stock Photo