THE European Commission is willing to meet any extra cost involved if Galway's proposed sewage treatment plant is built on a mainland site rather than on, Mutton Island.
Galway Corporation's proposal to locate the plant on the island has met fierce opposition.
The director of the EU cohesion fund, Mr J.F. Verstrynge, stated "it goes without saying" that any extra cost arising from "the least environmentally damaging solution" would be funded by the Community.
In a letter to the Save Galway Bay group (SGB), which opposes the Mutton Island location on the grounds that a sewage plant would deface the scenic surroundings, Mr Verstrynge reiterated it was not appropriate for the cohesion fund to support the project as long as it posed an environmental threat.
Earlier this year, the Regional Policy Commissioner, Ms Monika Wulf Mathies, declared the project would not get EU money after the Minister for the Environment, Mr Howlin, announced he favoured the Mutton Island location.
Ignoring the Commission's reservations about the island site, Mr Howlin said that even if the EU did not provide money for the plant he would fund it from the national Exchequer. In 1991, the cost was estimated at £23 million but it is now thought it could ultimately reach £40 million.
Mr John Cunningham, spokes man for Save Galway Bay, said the latest indication from the EU that, if a mainland site was chosen, it would be ready to bear any extra costs, "makes clear there's any amount of goodwill in the EU provided an environmentally acceptable solution to Galway's sewage problem can be found".
SGB favours a site near the docks at the derelict isolation hospital which might require additional treatment works and longer outfall pipe, for which the EU is prepared to pay.
The EU has taken proceedings against the Government alleging that locating the plant on Mutton Island would infringe the Commission's Wild Birds Directive.
The island is a significant sanctuary for a variety of birds, one of the reasons the Commission expressed serious doubts about locating a sewage treatment plant on it.
Mr Howlin has argued that the isolation hospital site is also a special protection area but Mr Cunningham pointed out that this applies only to a part below the high water mark. He also queried why Mr Howlin was ruling out the use of ultra violet sewage treatment methods in Galway when they were being considered by Dublin Corporation.
SGB has held talks with the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Mr Higgins, seeking a resolution of the controversy. Mr Higgins, who represents the West Galway constituency, is to hold another meeting with the group in a couple of weeks.