asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make a statement on the number of incidents of water pollution which have occurred in the country over the last five years; the causes of this pollution; the damage done; the cost involved in rectifying the damage; and the number of resultant prosecutions.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Water Pollution.
23.
Statistics on a range of activities undertaken by local authorities in implementing the provisions of the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act, 1977, which are compiled on an annual basis, include information on the numbers of fish kills reported to them, investigations into possible breaches of the Act, and the number of prosecutions taken.
More extensive records on fish kills are maintained by regional fisheries boards because of their particular responsibilities for the protection and development of fisheries. Based on this data, the Department of the Marine have produced an information leaflet on fish kills over the period 1969-87 in the various fisheries regions and copies of this booklet have been placed in the Dáil Library, together with the corresponding information in respect of 1988. This leaflet also lists the source of pollution in each case, where known.
Details are not available on the damage caused by pollution incidents nor the cost involved in rectifying such damage. However, it is important to note that local authorities and fisheries boards have power under section 10 of the Water Pollution Act to apply to the District Court for an order requiring polluters to carry out measures to mitigate or remedy the effects of pollution caused by them.
The Local Government (Water Pollution) (Amendment) Bill, 1989, which is being debated in the Seanad at present, contains a provision to extend this power to any person.
Statistics available to my Department on the number of prosecutions taken by local authorities under the Water Pollution Act in the five years to 1987 are as follows: 1983, 45; 1984, 32; 1985, 71; 1986, 52; 1987, 156.
Figures for 1988 are not yet available. In addition to local authorities, prosecutions may also be taken by fisheries boards under both the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act, 1977, and the Fisheries Acts.