The decision by the government to progress the Shannon Pipeline project to stage #1 planning permission will become one of the major scandals in Irish Semi State Commercial History, if approved. 

The proposed cost to the taxpayer of this project is €10.4 billion euro (cost of four children's hospitals) - for a project that is not needed. The 172kms pipeline (from Birdhill to Dublin) will pass through over 500 farms en route, which will cause major destruction environmentally and to our poor biodiversity record also. It will also affect the delicate ecosystems of the River Shannon itself and surrounding special areas of conservation.

Alternative solutions, which have been sent to the Taoiseach, have been totally ignored. These are as follows-

1. Fix the leaking pipes in the east - up to 50% of water is wasted through leakage. The people of the greater Dublin area deserve a proper functioning mains water system for future generations. 

2. The existence of the taxpayer constructed Poulaphuca reservoir (Blessington lakes) is capable of securing water supply for up to 15 million people. WHY is this being ignored as a solution?

3. The rivers of the east - the Liffey, the Slaney, the Boyne and the Barrow have a combined flow of 75% that of the Shannon and the incremental development of these, combined with the correct use of Poulaphaca would achieve this at a fraction of the cost.

4. Environmental solutions such as subsidising and supporting farmers to convert to Korean Natural Farming,  in river catchment areas, has huge potential to clean up our water sources, capture water in times of heavy rain and store water in times of drought. This would also protect and enhance our environment and biodiversity for future generations.

5. Planting of native trees (not Sitka Spruce plantations) in the uplands of the Dublin and Wicklow mountains also has the potential to increase water sources in the east and help both environmentally and with biodiversity.

How do other countries, with populations multiples of ours, protect their environment and biodiversity and have sufficient water for their people?

- Shannon Protection Alliance 

( Please refer to River Shannon Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn pages and Shannon Protection Alliance website for further details.

1.Website: https://shannonprotectionalliance.ie

2. Facebook pages: (a) River Shannon; (b) River Shannon Protection Alliance

3. Instagram: River Shannon Protection Alliance 

4.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/river-shannon-protection-alliance/

Contact: rivershannonprotectionalliance@gmail.com

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