Shannon to Dublin water plan could serve Mullingar: Tánaiste

The supply to the Mullingar region could benefit from the Uisce Éireann Water Supply Project, Eastern and Midlands Region, to pipe water from the River Shannon at Parteen Basin to Dublin.

The Uisce Éireann water conservation order for the Mullingar regional public water supply is scheduled to come to an end next Monday, September 16. The conservation order, or hosepipe ban, was initially issued on May 6 to “safeguard the water supply for essential purposes”. The supply sourced from Lough Owel serves over 50,000 customers across a large area of County Westmeath.

As Fine Gael gathered for its parliamentary party meeting in the Mullingar Park Hotel on Monday, An Tánaiste, Simon Harris, gave an undertaking that Uisce Éireann will “work with the local community on any kind of interim measures that may be require” to address the issue.

Budget 2026, housing, infrastructure, in particular health infrastructure, children’s disability services and special education were all on the agenda for the FG Think In. The under-pressure water supply was raised at a media briefing dominated by the threats to the family of the leader of Fine Gael over the weekend.

As Lough Owel reaches historically low levels because of the dry summer, Minister Harris said plans are in place to address the issue: “I believe Irish Water accepts this point,” he said, “so it’s not just a local concern.

They accept there is a need for action. My understanding is that does require a spur from the Shannon project as well, and that is the ultimate direction of travel in terms of providing a long-term sustainable solution for security of water supply.”

The Fine Gael leader said the government is committed to addressing the issue: “We’ve made a decision to significantly increase the funding to Irish Water. For far too long, we can be collectively critical here, but for far too long in Irish politics, things like water, things like energy, things like investing in basic infrastructure, weren’t getting the attention they deserved.

“That’s why we’ve established Irish Water, and it’s why over the summer months we’ve given a significant increase in capital.”

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Minister for Defence concluded by saying: “I hope in the meantime that Irish Water can continue to work with the local community on any kind of interim measures that may be required.”