Vol. 397 No. 9
271 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for the Environment if he will allocate some of the moneys made available by the EC for treatment of sewage in the upper Cork harbour area to the lower harbour area, to tackle the problems created by the outfall from Rathcoursey Point in the East Ferry area.
Shortly after publication of the environment action programme, my Department asked Cork Corporation to take the necessary steps to develop proposals that will eliminate the present discharge of untreated sewage to the River Lee and provide modern and effective treatment facilities. To this end, the corporation are to prepare and submit to my Department a detailed brief that can issue to consultants.
The brief will pay particular attention to a number of important issues including the availability of sites for secondary treatment; the need for tertiary treatment with a view to reducing nutrient levels; optimum locations of secondary treatment works; optimum route of pipeline to treatment works; options for treatment and disposal of sewage sludge other than by discharge to the sea; and consideration as to whether the effluent from Tramore Valley sewerage system and any other discharges in the immediate area should be treated in the proposed treatment works.
In relation to the discharge at Rathcoursey Point, I am not aware that any problem has been indicated by monitoring results of water quality in that area of the harbour. Nevertheless, if problems should arise in the future, there is a specific commitment to deal with them.
As indicated in the action programme, the Government will seek support for this programme from the European Community, including the new ENVIREG Regulation which has been proposed by the EC Commission. I am not aware, however, of any commitment of funds, of the kind referred to in the question, in relation to the upper harbour area.
