Uisce Eireann Angers Enniscorthy Councillors Over Lack Communication

Uisce Eireann has been criticised by local councillors for poor communication with officials around road works.

Members of the Enniscorthy Municipal Council are set to write to the utility company over issues with shoddy work around the town.

Councillors complained that water officials were not notifying them ahead of works being carried out and then leaving the roads in a state once the work was complete.

Councillor John O'Rourke says council officials are having to pick up the pieces and take the blame for works they had no hand act or part in:

"We are being lambasted and our funding is being used to repair areas that the utility companies are leaving in a shocking state.

"I don't see why we should accept that behaviour because if they're in to do a job, they should be doing it properly.

"They should leave the place as they find it and not go away and leave us to pick up the bill for the job that should have been done properly."

Councillors say too often, they only find out about roads being torn up by the utility company after the fact.

Councillor O'Rourke says the standards have slipped since Uisce Eireann took over the gig full time:

"We were aware of what was going on when it was being run by Wexford County Council.

"Now that it's gone to Uisce Eireann, you could be on the phone for 10 or 15 minutes on the line that we have as public representatives to bring an issue to their attention.

"You might even get an email to specify the extent that works are being done in the area."

Council officials are also being blamed for shoddy road works being left behind by these companies.

District Engineer Neil Dempsey admitted it's a full time job chasing Uisce Eireann and others for information and compensation.

Councillor O'Rourke says its unfair for the council to have to clean up a mess which is not of their making:

"Unfortunately, the gentleman himself Neil who is a fantastic engineer, his hands are being curtailed because the works that should have been done properly are being left untreated.

"Because of that, we have to pick up the surplus for it so our budget goes down again, all to look after and make sure our citizens are safe."

That report was funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.