Last week, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien announced a €50 million allocation to rural water schemes.

This funding comes under the National Development Plan to 2025, following the completion of a review of villages and settlements that don’t have access to public waste water infrastructure.

Successful applicants to the scheme included, locally, Clarinbridge and Craughwell in County Galway as well as Ballygawley in County Sligo.

Ramsgrange, County Wexford, Broadford and Cooraclare, County Clare, and Beaufort County Kerry were also successful.

The news for Ballygawley has been welcomed by Sligo Councillor Thomas Walsh.

The Fine Gael Councillor has been speaking to Midwest Radio’s Rian Bailey: