Dear Editor,

When I addressed the annual meeting of the Western River Basin District Advisory Council in County Hall, Galway, last month your newspaper accurately reported me as saying, 'Some months ago, it was discovered that a Risk Assessment was carried out on the public water supply to Galway city in 2004 and the water source and water supply was classified as at very high risk. I understand that local authority officials did not disclose this information to the elected councillors or to the public. In fact, it would appear that that there was a deliberate decision taken not to advise councillors or the public of the serious situation relating to the potential contamination of the public water supply. This in my view is unacceptable and flies in the face of openness and transparency.'

In the same edition (20 June), Mr Ciaran Hayes of Galway City Council dismissed my claims as 'unbelievable' and stated that 'the council had always provided councillors with reports as to water quality in Galway'

Mr Hayes went on to say 'Cllr Bree seems to have drawn conclusions on inadequate information, which is not actually correct. He is making assumptions which have no basis in fact and I find it unbelievable that he is making such claims without any accurate information.'

Far from making assumptions, I would point out to Mr Hayes that a risk assessment was undertaken by Galway City Council and completed in February 2004. The risk assessment and the recommendations contained in the assessment were not disclosed to the city councillors or to the public. Surely as a senior council official, Mr Hayes would be aware of this.

It was only in April of this year, three years after the assessment was completed and one month into Galway's water crisis, that the city councillors learned that the risk assessment had been carried out.

It would appear now that a deliberate decision was taken by council officials not to advise the elected councillors of the serious situation relating to the potential contamination of the public water supply in the city.

What has occurred in Galway this year not only highlights the lack of openness and transparency in the administration of the city's affairs, it confirms a shocking level of incompetence in the city council's senior management.

Yours etc,

Councillor Declan Bree,

Western River Basin District Advisory Council,

Sligo

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