asked the Minister for the Environment for each local authority in respect of the years 1983 to 1987 inclusive the numbers of prosecutions that have been taken by local authorities against offenders under the various water pollution legislation; in respect of such prosecutions the number of successful prosecutions and fines which resulted; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Water Pollution Precautions.
200.
The following is the position regarding the number of prosecutions taken by local authorities for offences under the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act, 1977, in respect of the years 1983-1987:
|
Local Authority |
Number of Prosecutions Taken/Initiated |
||||
|
1983 |
1984 |
1985 |
1986 |
1987* |
|
|
County Councils: |
|||||
|
Carlow |
1 |
||||
|
Cavan |
3 |
1 |
1 |
10 |
|
|
Clare |
1 |
||||
|
Cork |
4 |
6 |
15 |
18 |
|
|
Donegal |
6 |
1 |
6 |
3 |
1 |
|
Dublin |
4 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
|
Galway |
2 |
3 |
|||
|
Kerry |
7 |
2 |
7 |
7 |
6 |
|
Kildare |
1 |
||||
|
Kilkenny |
2 |
5 |
|||
|
Laois |
1 |
1 |
1 |
21 |
|
|
Leitrim |
|||||
|
Limerick |
12 |
3 |
4 |
12 |
|
|
Louth |
1 |
||||
|
Mayo |
1 |
2 |
|||
|
Meath |
3 |
4 |
8 |
7 |
|
|
Monaghan |
4 |
3 |
6 |
18 |
|
|
Roscommon |
4 |
||||
|
Sligo |
3 |
3 |
4 |
||
|
Tipperary (NR) |
5 |
1 |
6 |
4 |
1 |
|
Tipperary (SR) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
||
|
Waterford |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
|
|
Wexford |
2 |
2 |
22 |
2 |
11 |
|
Wicklow |
1 |
||||
|
County Boroughs: |
|||||
|
Cork |
1 |
||||
|
Dublin |
1 |
2 |
5 |
||
|
UDCs: |
|||||
|
Fermoy |
1 |
||||
|
Totals |
45 |
32 |
71 |
53 |
134 |
*Period 1 January-30 September 1987.
My Department has no details of the number of these prosecutions which were successful or of the fines imposed in each case. Information of this nature has been requested from local authorities for 1987 and I will arrange for this to be forwarded to the Deputy when available.
The low number of prosecutions taken by local authorities is a reflection of the range of other powers available to them under the Water Pollution Act to deal with pollution and to ensure that it does not recur. In 1986, local authorities issued over 350 notices under section 12 of the Act requiring specified measures to be taken to prevent or control pollution of waters. In addition, authorities issued more than 2,200 advice/warning letters.
The significant increase in the number of prosecutions initiated up to the end of September 1987 indicates a positive response by the local authorities to my request last year that they make full use of their powers to prosecute pollution offenders and to have remedial measures taken at the polluters' expense.
I am conscious that recourse to prosecutions alone will not overcome the problem of pollution. Accordingly, the programme of measures approved by the Government to deal with pollution provides for initiatives in the promotion of environmental awareness, and the availability of advice for farmers on practices which entail a risk of pollution, in addition to legislative changes which will strengthen the powers of local authorities to prevent pollution and will increase the penalties for offences.