Kerry Water Source Saga Has Cost Taxpayer Over €700,000

An attempt to secure an alternative water supply for the town of Kenmare has been ongoing for over a decade - costing the taxpayer over €700,000.

The figures were released under the Freedom of Information Act to Radio Kerry.

In 2011, An Bord Pleanala gave the go ahead to Kerry County Council to obtain the extra water needed for the town's growing population from the River Sheen at the nearby village of Bonane.

This was successfully appealed by local Bonane residents at the Circuit Court on environmental grounds however.

The cost of the River Sheen proposal was billed to Kerry County Council, and has been recouped from Irish Water and the Department of the Environment.

The high price of the bill consisted of €450,000 for engineering, technical and design fees and €132,000 for legal settlement in respect of costs.

An additional €57,000 was spent on legal fees, €45,000 on planning fees, €9,000 for legal costs negotiation and around €3,500 on advertising.

Meanwhile, the residents of Kenmare are still without an extra source of water, with no alternative sources as of yet proposed.