Mayor in North Kildare angrily calls for Uisce Éireann to be shut down

A number of councillors criticised Uisce Éireann in relation to an apparent lack of communication

By Ciarán Mather Published 9th Jun 2026, 14:00 BST Mayor in North Kildare angrily calls for Uisce Éireann to be shut down | FILE PHOTO A number of councillors criticised Uisce Éireann in relation to an apparent lack of communication Sign up to our Kildare Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Kildare Live within your account.

The Mayor of the Clane-Maynooth Municipal District (MD) has called for Uisce Éireann (UE) to be disbanded.

Fine Gael councillor Brendan Wyse was visibly angry when he made the comments during the latest MD meeting, which took place on Friday, June 5 last.

He made the comments in relation to a motion which was submitted by his party colleague, Cllr William Durkan.

Cllr Durkan requested Kildare County Council (KCC) ‘to urgently contact UE regarding the ongoing water supply issues at Allen Reservoir, due to significant public impact’.

In response to the motion, KCC told Cllr Durkan that this would be a matter for the members to agree upon.

(LEFT) Fine Gael Cllr and Mayor of the Clane-Maynooth Municipal District, Brendan Wyse, made the call for Uisce Éireann to be shut down. His party colleague, Cllr William Durkan (RIGHT) submitted the motion which prompted the discussion | PHOTO CREDIT: KILDARECOCO.IE ‘LET DOWN’

Speaking further on the situation, Mayor Wyse said: “It is the biggest disruption, and around 15,000 are being let down continuously.”

He claimed that he has ‘been getting pounded’ with messages from members of the public regarding the water supply issues.

Mayor Wyse also thanked Social Democrats TD, Aidan Farrelly, for highlighting the dilemma in the Dáil.

Social Democrats Cllr Paula Mulroe then weighed into the conversation by noting that a lack of water supply could be dangerous for locals if a fire were to ever break out.

Furthermore, Fianna Fáil Cllr Daragh Fitzpatrick referred to the issue as ‘the biggest issue that I have come across in my time as a councillor’.

He also claimed that there were rumours circulating online that the water was being affected due to Diageo’s increasing presence in Newbridge.

Cllr Fitzpatrick added that, partially for this reason, UE ‘needs to be brought in here and explain what the reason behind the water supply issues’.

“I am fed up to the teeth with the amount of bull s-h-1-t coming from them,” Cllr Fitzpatrick concluded.

Read More Weekend 'looking pretty good' as experts pinpoint return of 25 degree heat 108 babies born alive after abortion procedures in Ireland In this week's Leinster Leader Sport Campaigners threaten judicial review over Ireland vs Israel fixtures Kildare road ramps work project 'should start soon' 'Chatty benches' should be provided in this Kildare town Mayor Wyse re-entered the conversation and further criticised UE: “In my opinion, UE doesn’t seem to be accountable to anyone.

“They should be shut down and it should go back to the way it used to be [as Irish Water]!” Mayor Wyse angrily added.

Mayor Wyse also claimed that UE is poor at getting back to the MD’s councillors whenever they have a query, and further alleged that anytime UE does get back to them, ‘it is usually too late’.

Moreover, he criticised the earnings of two high-ranking members of UE.

“As Cllr Fitzpatrick put it, I cannot listen to their bull s-h-1-t anymore,” he concluded.

KCC’s director of climate, community, environment and water, Marian Higgins, was also present at the meeting, also weighed in by telling the members that while KCC ‘noted their frustrations’, she emphasised that ‘the wastewater issue lies firmly with UE’.

After Cllr Durkan’s motion was put to the floor, it was agreed that KCC would write to UE in relation to the water supply issues.

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Related topics: Clane Maynooth Kildare County Council Kildare Cllr Brendan Wyse Fine Gael Uisce Éireann Kildare Politics Sign up to our Kildare Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Kildare Live within your account.