Vol. 395 No. 6
8 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for the Marine the present position relating to fish farming at Poulaphouca electricity generating station, County Wicklow; the discussions, agreements and decisions which have been made between his Department and other parties, namely, the Department of Energy, the Department of the Environment and the ESB; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
31 Tomás Mac Giolla asked the Minister for the Marine , in view of the recent public concern about the presence of a fish farm on Poulaphouca reservoir, County Wicklow, the reason it was allowed to operate without a licence from his Department; if he intends to review controls on fish farms, especially where water sources for public drinking water supplies are concerned; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
61 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for the Marine if his Department issued fish-farm licences to the ESB; and if they were consulted before instructions were issued to the ESB to terminate such activities.
I wish to take Questions Nos. 8, 31 and 61 together.
The role of the Minister for the Marine in relation to fish culture activities by the ESB at Poulaphouca or elsewhere is that of statutory licensing authority. As such the Minister is bound to consider on their technical merits fish culture operation and applications for licences.
I have been informed by the ESB that they propose to end their fish culture operation at Poulaphouca at the end of the current season and are not proceeding with their licence application. Questions in relation to the basis for the ESB decision in this regard do not fall within my sphere of responsibility.
On the general question of fish culture operation in fresh water, a committee with representatives of my own Department, the Departments of the Environment, Health and Energy, together with the ESB and other freshwater salmon producers, will consider the environmental impact of fresh water hatcheries.
Did the Minister for the Environment and the Minister for Energy make direct contact with the Minister for the Marine to ensure that the ESB operations will cease in Poulaphouca? Will the Minister tell the House where the smolts will be provided for restocking now that one third of the smolt population will be depleted when fish farming ceases in Poulaphouca? Will he give a detailed outline of the discussions that took place between him, Minister Flynn and Minister Molloy?
I am in constant touch in relation to this and many other matters with my colleagues in the Departments of Energy and the Environment. The ESB took a decision not to continue their operation at Poulaphouca. The system operating there is that the smolts are taken out at the end of a six months period and the ESB decided to discontinue the operation as soon as that period elapses. The provision of smolts for the industry in general is a matter purely for the ESB and managers and operators of the fish farm section in the ESB.
I am surprised at the Minister's response. Does he not feel that the Department of the Marine have some responsibility in arranging the provision of smolts for fish farming purposes? Will the Minister advise the House of the amount of malachite green being used by the ESB in Poulaphouca? Did the Department of the Environment advise him that there was serious pollution of the water coming into Dublin city?
My Department have not been consulted about the supply of smolts. As the Deputy knows, the ESB are conducting a very successful and profitable business in that line and I am quite sure that they will be well able to cope with the production of smolts. During 1989 no malachite green was used by the ESB in Poulaphouca. When malachite green is used, it is used in such infinitesimal proportions that the quality of the water is not affected.
Deputy Taylor-Quinn rose.
I am sorry, to dwell too long on this question would be a disadvantage to the other Priority Questions. No. 9, please.
