A CASE against Clare County Council over allowing water untreated for the bug cryptosporidium into the Ennis public water system last year was struck out yesterday.
The Director of Public Prosecutions was yesterday due to present a book of evidence in Ennis District Court ahead of a CirCuit court hearing. Judge Joseph Mangan in September transferred the case to the higher court due to the seriousness of the charge. The council was facing fines of up to €500,000 in the Circuit Court.
But the case was struck out by Judge Mangan at Ennis District Court after council solicitor Rachel Dobson informed him of a direction of the DPP.
The council had previously stated it would be pleading guilty.
Ms Dobson gave no reason as to why the DPP gave the direction. A spokeswoman for the DPP declined to comment. A spokeswoman for the Environmental Protection Agency confirmed last night that it had forwarded its file on the case to the DPP. It is now open to the DPP to bring fresh charges against the council.
The council was pleading guilty to breaching an Environmental Protection Agency directive that it cease the practice of allowing water bypass the council’s temporary treatment plant for treatment for cryptosporidium from May 1st to October 21st last year.
The council allowed the water go through after facing the prospect of not having adequate water supplies to serve Ennis General Hospital and of its reservoirs running dry.
