asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state, having regard to the continued discharge of wastes and other pollutants into the Liffey and Dodder rivers in Dublin and the unsatisfactory nature of existing legal powers of control, how soon legislation or other measures will be introduced to deal effectively with the problem.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin River Pollution.
16.
Major drainage works which are proposed for the Dublin area are being so designed that they will remedy to a considerable extent any existing pollution problems and ensure that such problems will not arise in the future.
Existing legislation in regard to pollution is not considered to be inadequate and it is not intended at present to introduce further legislative measures in the matter.
Having regard to the fact that some years will probably elapse before the necessary new drainage is provided and that the Minister, or his predecessor, said in this House that existing legislation is not adequate to deal with industrial pollution in thickly-populated areas, would the Minister be good enough to take another look at the situation?
The drainage schemes will, it is agreed, take some years to come into operation but, without the extra drainage capacity, it is difficult to see how this problem can be remedied.
The Dodder, which was reasonably clean up to two or three years ago, is now almost unbearable between Tallaght and the sea. At one time, it was pleasant enough for the children of the city to paddle in and for people to fish in. Is there any remedy for the present very unsatisfactory situation?
It will be remedied as soon as the drainage schemes are in operation.