In March 2018, Water. Desalination + reuse (Faversham House) reported, citing the Limerick Leader, that the River Shannon Protection Alliance (RSPA) had suggested a desalination plant for Dublin. The trigger was an Irish Water plan costing EUR 1.2 billion to pipe water 172 km from the Shannon to the capital. RSPA director Gerard Siney called for an independent review of options by an expert from abroad. Councillor John Loftus pointed to leak repairs and desalination instead. The remarks came at a Limerick Council environment committee meeting.
The item showed desalination entering the Irish debate as a counter-proposal to a major long-distance pipeline, put forward by voices from the region the water was meant to come from.