asked the Minister for the Environment if he intends to have a proper water management plan for Dublin Bay instituted without delay.
Written Answers. - Dublin Bay Water Management Plan.
180.
The preparation of a water quality management plan for Dublin Bay under section 15 of the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act, 1977, is a matter for Dublin Corporation, Dublin County Council and Dún Laoghaire Corporation and work towards the preparation of such a plan is in progress.
Monitoring in the bay is being undertaken on behalf of the three local authorities; this commenced in 1986 and is being continued this year by An Foras Forbartha and the Environmental Research Unit. This data collection exercise is essential if the water quality management plan's primary objective of securing a high quality of water in the bay is to be based on sound scientific information. The plan will be a vital input to decision-making on the controls to be applied to wastes entering the bay, including decisions on the treatment and disposal of sewage.
I am concerned that the preparation of the plan should be finalised as quickly as possible and my Department have recently been in contact with Dublin Corporation in this regard.