Town Council asked to refuse sewerage contracts

Town Council asked to refuse sewerage work contracts


Edwin McGreal

MAYO County Council have been asked to refuse any future contracts with Veolia, the French company who have been selected to carry out the installation of a sewerage treatment plnat in the county.
Sinn Féin Councillor Therese Ruane alleged at last week’s meeting of Castlebar Town Council that Veolia, the contracting firm appointed by Mayo County Council to build a new €12m plant in Castlebar, is a leading partner in a group contracted to build a light railway system through illegal settlements in occupied East Jerusalem.
She also alleged that Veolia have a ‘checkered history’ and referred to a letter sent to the council from an individual in Leeds alleging poor trading by Veolia in the UK. She also referenced a sewerage plant installed by Veolia in Monaghan which was, she alleged,  contaminated with toxic fennel.
She asked that town manager Seamus Granahan not sign any contract in future with Veolia and also asked for a letter to be sent objecting to the light railway project in illegal Israeli settlements.
“Dublin City Council have passed a similar motion and a council in Melbourne have removed Veolia from a contract there. A Dutch bank has broken off financial relations with Veolia and I would ask that this council sends out a strong message,” Cllr Ruane said.
Town Manager Seamus Granahan told the meeting that Veolia have a contract with Mayo County Council and that if they rightly win a contract through the tendering process, he would have a legal obligation to award the contract to them.
Cllr Frank Durcan concurred. “If they come in with the best price, they have to be taken. This is like Castlebar Town Council trying to take on Russia in a war. That said I cannot understand why Mayo County Council signed a contract with Veolia given their history in Monaghan.”
Seamus Granahan added that there had been no major difficulty with the construction of the treatment plant in Castlebar.