'By doing right, I was still wrong,' meeting hears about stressful Tipperary housing issue

Terence Coskeran is a builder who lives on a 5-home estate that he built himself in Kilross but he has had continuous confrontation - which extended for eight years -  with Tipperary County Council.

The issue was raised at the recent Tipperary/Cahir/Cashel Municipal District meeting where the highly stressful matter finally came to an end.

The eight year long confrontation with the Council dragged out so long because it was his understanding that the council would take over the responsibility for maintaining the sewage system, when the estate was completed, in the same way it does for other estates however they didn't in this instance. 

Issues arose in 2015 when Irish Water pointed out that the systems stipulated within the planning permission were not appropriate, and because of this issue the estate fell outside the remit, despite Terence Coskeran being fully compliant with the local authority. 

Finally, due to recent changes, the District is "taking in charge" Rocksprings Estate with much relief expressed at the meeting by Terence and amongst those that did what they could for him over the years.

Councillor Michael Fitzgerald said "At that time Terence contacted every single Councillor," he said, adding the background to the story: "Here you had five houses developed, maintained and looked after by Terence Coskeran and his Residents Association.

"In his planning permission at the time he was required to put in an independent septic tank system," he said, adding that everything had been maintained to a high level. 

"The commitment that man gave and what he has been through regarding waiting, setbacks, good news, bad news and every kind of news," said Cllr Fitzgerald who praised all who had been involved in resolving the matter which caused a lot of stress and hardship.

Councillors brought up the issue again and again to see what could be done, while Deputy Martin Browne brought it to the Petitions Oireachtas Committee, and it received support there too. 

Cllr Michael Fitzgerald said "We convinced Irish Water to use the public septic tank which they weren't prepared to do. They eventually agreed there was enough capacity there to take Rocksprings," and he informed the meeting that the change occured in recent weeks. 

Councillor John Crosse agreed saying he wanted "to congratulate Margaret and Terence for sticking with it through thick and then," he said as well as thanking those at the official level for seeing sense. 

Cllr Roger Kennedy said that Councillors are often critical of Irish Water and that this was a good news story before speaking directly to Margaret and Terence Coskeran who were present at the meeting, adding "It is an early Christmas present!".

Terence Coskeran addressed those present and said it was a long road without turning: "It is a big day to be here today," he began before saying: "By doing right, I was still wrong. 

"That is my unabiding feeling. I did everything that was right and I still didn't seem to get it right." 

There hasn't been a week since 2015 that he hasn't been on the phone to Michael Fitzgerald he said and he gratefully thanked all those who helped resolve the highly stressful eight-year-issue.