Fingal County Council is to vote today on whether to approve construction of a €140 million regional sewage plant, with the capacity to serve almost one million people, at Portrane, north Co Dublin.
The plant, which would be almost the same size as the current Ringsend sewage treatment facility, is earmarked for the site of an existing sewage works in Portrane, serving a local community of little more than 10,000.
The Greater Dublin Strategic Drainage Study, which directs the sewage treatment needs of Dublin and surrounding counties up to 2031, recommends Portrane as the site for the plant. The proposal is now included in Fingal's Water Services Assessment of Needs 2005-2012, which comes before the council this afternoon.
Plans for the development of the regional sewage plant have been on public display since last September. Campaigns against siting the plant at Portrane have been growing in support during the consultation phase.
The council has received a large volume of objections to the plant, which will be brought before councillors this afternoon, However, the council management is likely to recommend a vote in favour of the development.
A community group, Fair Share, is to stage a demonstration outside the council meeting. The group, led by Donabate Parish Council, is asking councillors to vote against the regional plant which could cater for a population of 850,000 in favour of a local facility for the equivalent of 65,000 people.
