andMr. Carter asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware of the pollution of Lough Ennell, County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the steps he proposes taking to rectify the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Westmeath Lake.
22.
I am glad to have an opportunity of commenting on the question of pollution in Lough Ennell and the steps being taken to deal with the problem. In a general survey of local authority sewerage systems carried out in 1971 it became evident that sewage from Mullingar was a source of pollution of the lake. Shortly after I became Minister I sanctioned, in May, 1973, the provision by Westmeath County Council of a new treatment works for the town sewage. I am glad to say that the works, which came into operation in February, 1975, and which cost £200,000, are working satisfactorily and have eliminated this source of pollution in so far as the discharge of organic matter is concerned. I might mention that the scheme was designed to facilitate the subsequent installation of additional treatment for the removal of phosphate as required.
With regard to the question of eutrophication and whether or not additional treatment should be provided for the removal of phosphate, the county council were advised in October, 1973 by An Foras Forbartha that it would be unwise on the basis of limited data and incomplete assessment of all the factors involved to provide such additional treatment without first assessing the effect of the new treatment works. The county council accordingly commissioned An Foras to continue their detailed studies of lake conditions. I should mention that An Foras in their Preliminary Survey of Irish Lakes, which was published in May, 1975, indicated that the lake was excessively enriched.
I am advised that the problem of eutrophication is a very complex one and that there are very real problems in deciding whether provision of additional treatment for removal of phosphate would have any beneficial results on the lake waters in any particular case. The county council have, therefore, very good reason to await the outcome of the further detailed studies by An Foras before coming to a conclusion in the matter. It is hoped that these studies, the results of which are expected to be available very shortly, will give sufficient facts, including information on the amount of phosphate coming into the lake both from the sewerage works and from other sources and the extent to which the new treatment works is already removing phosphate, to enable the county council to make an informed decision.
Should Westmeath County Council decide on the basis of An Foras studies and having regard also to the high running costs of tertiary treatment, that additional treatment for removal of phosphate should be provided at the Mullingar sewerage works I would be prepared to approve of such a proposal subject to the usual clearance of technical aspects.
Do I gather from the Minister that there is no proposal in his Department at the moment for the incorporation of a phosphorous removal process by Westmeath County Council?
No.
Is the Minister aware of a report issued by the Inland Fisheries Trust in October last which stated that the sewage from Mullingar must receive additional treatment to remove phosphorous and that unless such treatment is undertaken there is no future from the point of view of fishing and amenity?
I am aware of such a report but I am also aware that An Foras Forbartha have been given a job which they are doing and for which they were set up. It would be foolish to proceed with any further improvements until An Foras Forbartha get the information which they are eliciting and until it is made available to Westmeath County Council. The county council will then make a decision on the matter. As I said, if they make the decision that they want the work to be proceeded with then the money will be made available by my Department.
Is there any truth in the report that the trust have deserted the lake as a bad job and that they cannot do anything with it at the moment?
Newspaper publicity was given to the fact that they did not propose to do any further work, that they had suspended work on the lake. I would not be prepared to comment on this matter too deeply because, while they have done this, it is true that only in the last few years has anything been done to try to help. It is rather strange that they should now decide to pull out when an effort is being made to clear the matter. They have asked on a number of occasions that we should put tertiary treatment in there. We are not prepared to agree to this until Westmeath County Council—we must be satisfied that they will do the job which it is suggested they should do—ask us to do so. That is fair enough.
The fish are dead.
I understand there were fish there in 1961. All down the years from 1961 until 1975, when the scheme went into operation, fish were dying there. One cannot do something overnight just by waving a wand. I cannot do it.
Does the Minister expect to receive a firm decision from the Westmeath County Council shortly as to what their requirements are?
I am told that An Foras Forbartha propose to make their report to Westmeath County Council early this month. I expect Westmeath County Council will move fairly fast when they get that report. We certainly will not hold them up if the report is favourable once it comes to us for sanction.