By Catriona Gallen

GWEEDORE Chamber of Commerce has sought urgent meetings with Donegal County Council following the Government slashing of all grants to sewerage schemes by 40 per cent. The funding cuts will result in a ¤4.1 million deficit for the scheme which has been promised since 2000.

The Chamber is also angry about the proposed five per cent increase in commercial rates and a 26 per cent increase in water charges.

President of the Gweedore Chamber of Commerce, Mr Eamonn McBride, said the revelation from last Friday's estimates meeting left development in Gweedore in a 'precarious' situation.

"There is no way Gweedore businesses can sustain the proposed increase in rates, particularly to pay for services we don't have.

"Our roads and infrastructure is inadequate. We don't even have a street cleaning facility in Gweedore. The Chamber pay for grass cutting and a weekly clean up during the high season. We hire a private company to clean from Bunbeg to Derrybeg during the tourist season.

"More and more burden is being put on businesses and we are carrying the full load of paying for services. There are no housing or water rates on private homes. Rates and water together with the rising cost of heating and ESB and annual water rates are crippling business in Gweedore.

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