andMr. D. Andrews asked the Minister for the Environment the action his Department have taken to improve the quality of the bathing places and the water of Dublin Bay; and if he will make a statement on this action and his future plans for the development of Dublin Bay amenities so valued by the residents of Dublin city and county.
Written Answers. - Dublin Bay Amenities.
304.
Mr. N. Andrews
Primary responsibility for the conservation and future planning and development of the amenities in the Dublin Bay area rests with local authorities. As planning authorities, Dublin Corporation, Dublin County Council and Dún Laoghaire Corporation are obliged to include objectives in their development plans for the preservation and improvement of amenities in their areas and to take such steps as may be necessary for securing these objectives.
As sanitary authorities, the three local authorities are responsible for the provision of water and sewerage systems and are involved in a number of projects which will improve the water quality in Dublin Bay. It is expected that the greater Dublin drainage scheme which is being jointly provided by Dublin County Council and Dublin Corporation will be operational by early spring this year. This scheme will improve the quality of effluent being discharged into Dublin Bay with a resultant improvement in the water quality of the bay itself.
Contract documents for the extension (Phase II) of the sewage treatment works, Ringsend scheme, are at present under technical examination in my Department. This scheme will provide extra capacity at the Ringsend works which will ultimately facilitate the treatment of sewage from the greater Dublin drainage scheme. I hope to be in a position to convey a decision to Dublin Corporation on this scheme shortly. The Ringsend works provide primary treatment of sewage discharging to Dublin Bay. The provision of such is consistent with the conclusions of Professor Crisp's report which showed that the assimilative capacity of the receiving waters in Dublin Bay is adequate to take the discharge of effluent which has received primary treatment.
The preliminary report submitted by Dún Laoghaire Corporation for Stage 2 of the Blackrock main drainage scheme (Option 3) is under examination in my Department at present. I hope to convey a decision to the corporation on the report very shortly. This scheme when operational will further improve the quality of effluent discharging into the bay.
In September 1984, the Minister of State at my Department requested the three Dublin local authorities to co-operate in the preparation of a water quality management plan for Dublin Bay. I have recently been informed that the elected members of all three authorities have now approved of proposals that An Foras Forbartha be requested to undertake the studies required for the preparation of such a plan for the bay and the tidal section of the River Liffey, and that the Eastern Regional Development Organisation would commission An Foras to carry out the work and provide the necessary co-ordination of the project. The preparation of a water quality management plan will do much to establish the facts, identify the direction for future policy in relation to trade and sewage discharges and establish a framework within which the bathing places and other amenities in the bay area can be preserved and developed.